Heads of anti-corruption agencies from the Commonwealth’s 19 African member states are set to gather in Kigali, Rwanda, from 3 – 7 May 2022 for a major conference that will seek to boost regional crime-fighting efforts.

Now in its 12th year, the Conference of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa will be convened under the theme ‘Combating Corruption for Good Governance and Sustainable Development in Africa’.

Organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat in collaboration with the Government of Rwanda, the conference will bring together members of the Association of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa, senior government officials, relevant international organisations, civil society, policymakers, and development partners to address key priorities towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 16, share knowledge and good practices, discuss the impacts of corruption on sustainable development in Africa, and innovative approaches in the fight against corruption.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, said:

“Corruption is a serious threat to sustainable and equitable development. Every dollar lost to corruption is a dollar lost to investing in a child’s education, healthcare or much-needed infrastructure. That is why the Commonwealth Secretariat has made preventing and countering corruption a top priority.

But to do this, collaboration and cooperation between our member states will be critical if we are to successfully meet the challenge of corruption. By coming together, we can build the prosperous future we want for the generations to come. And the Commonwealth Secretariat stands ready to support member states in this endeavour as part of its mandate to strengthen democratic societies and good governance, and advance a free, just, and peaceful Commonwealth.”

Dr Roger Koranteng, the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Adviser and Head of Public Sector Governance, said:

“The conference will provide a timely assessment of the progress member countries have made towards achieving SDG Goal 16 and a platform for the sharing of country, regional and international experiences by Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies, International Organisations, and experts.

Anti-corruption agencies will have the opportunity to engage with their counterparts and international experts on issues of mutual influence, opening space for capacity building and collaboration in the fight against corruption.

We look forward to welcoming you in Kigali, for a successful conference.”

The Conference has been held annually since its inception in 2011 and is part of the Secretariat’s mission to help governments, judges, the police, and other public institutions tackle systemic corruption by sharing best practices, training, and policy research.

The Zambia Army Command has hailed the Catholic Church in Zambia for seconding Priests to serve in the military as chaplains.

It is not common for Catholic Priests to serve in the defence forces as chaplains.

In 2020, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) seconded three Priests to undergo military training under the Zambia Military Training Academy at the request of the army command.

The graduated soldiers are Capt. Rev. Fr. Bartholomew Mukuka, Capt. Rev. Fr. Samson Chewe and Capt. Rev. Fr. Philip Phiri.

The army has since deployed Capt. Fr. Mukuka to Kalewa Barracks in Ndola to serve the Catholic military community on the Copperbelt.

Fr. Mukuka was officially welcomed to the Copperbelt over the weekend and was granted authority to minister to the military community by Bishop of Ndola Diocese Benjamin Phiri during Mass in the Cathedral of Christ the King.

In his speech during Mass, Zambia Army Deputy Director General for Religious Services Col. Rev. Milfred Muke said army chaplains must serve any soldier irrespective of whether they are Catholic or not.

“Let me thank the Catholic Church in Zambia for responding to our need to have chaplains seconded to the Zambia Army so that we serve together. Let me use this opportunity to thank his Lordship Bishop Phiri for organizing such a wonderful welcome and introduction for Father Mukuka. As Zambia Army and Religious and Moral services branch we are very thankful for this great gesture shown to our brother and colleague,” Col. Rev. Muke said.

“Allow me to address our brother, Father Mukuka; I will start by congratulating you for having endured the military training which is not any easy thing to go through. I also want to say to Father Mukuka that in the army as chaplain we serve in two areas, in this area, and in the field. It is the mandate of a chaplain to serve each and every officer and soldier irrespective of whether they are Catholic or not. I urge Father Mukuka to be a bit flexible sometimes to serve and attend to some rituals which are not entirely Catholic but of course the body of Christ. I encourage you to remain and maintain the same endurance as lead the Catholic military community on the Copperbelt, however bear in mind that these people do not belong to you alone, they are other chaplains you need to engage with from time to time as you prepare your programs. The Catholic military of the Copperbelt supported father Mukuka,” Col. Rev. Muke said.

Bishop Phiri has urged army officers, especially chaplains to serve the nation with integrity and discipline.

The Bishop said the men and women in uniform should not harass people.

“Captain Mukuka, you need to be exemplary, almost impeccable in your conduct. The career you have joined is challenging one but not different from priesthood. Even as you wear your uniform, remember that you are a priest and shall remain a priest. You are wearing a military uniform because soldiers are willing to confide themselves in you. I urge the army to look after him, help him to settle and learn more about the army etiquettes and traditions. As a soldier, he now has to think differently, he can no longer behave like a civilian accordingly utilise him well in spiritual issues, tap blessings from him,” Bishop Phiri said.

“We shall continue to be good cooperating partners as you defend the country from external aggression and as you serve this country in different ways. Please as you seat especially for recruitments, do consider more slots especially for our priests to offer service in the armed forces. We will make our priests available provided they are suitably qualified in those tasks. We would like to work together with you. In the past we have not been present in the security wing, the purpose of the Mass was to introduce the priest and to give authority to the priest to perform certain rites in the barracks where he has been assigned and any other duties he is assigned in,” Bishop Phiri said.

And in a separate interview Capt. Fr. Mukuka vowed to remain in the priesthood after being seconded to serve in the army.

“Priesthood is my life. I enjoy preaching very much. I enjoy seeing the people of God singing to their God. When I celebrate Mass, I do it with a lot of passion. I enjoy celebrating Mass. I enjoy being a priest,” Capt. Fr. Mukuka said.

The family of murdered Kitwe Jerabo and businessman Richard Chileshe Mbulu commonly known as Chile One has called for peace and unity to prevail during the burial set for this Wednesday in Kitwe.

Mr Mbulu was allegedly shot dead by his wife Annie Monta, 30, in their bedroom after a marital dispute in the early hours of Saturday in Riverside, Kitwe. Monta has since been charged with murder by Police in Kitwe.

Family spokesperson Kelvin Tembo said Chile One’s burial has been tentatively set for this Wednesday at Kitwe Memorial Park in Nkana East.

Mr. Tembo has admitted that emotions among mourners are expected to be high as burial approaches.

He said it was important that Chile One’s family and close friends unite during the mourning period in the best interest of his seven children and several dependants.

Speaking to journalists at the funeral house in Riverside, Kitwe, Mr. Tembo reiterated that the death of Mr. Mbulu was heartbreaking.

“So far I think we are on course with our burial arrangements. We have set Wednesday as a burial date as you may be aware this is a case of murder where we need to get a court order for the postmortem and courts are closed today (Monday) and they are only opening on Tuesday. So we can obtain the court order tomorrow Tuesday and the burial take place on Wednesday. We are burying at Kitwe Memorial Park in Nkana East. The time and burial programme will be communicated to the public soon,” Mr. Tembo said.

“The atmosphere at the funeral is so far calm and sombre as you see it but as people begin to know that burial is on emotions will begin to rise but that is always expected because as of now to some people it has not sunk in that this person is no more. But as you approach burial that is when people do realise that this person is truly gone. We expect a lot of emotions. We should be guided differently depending on the person that is emotionally affected at that particular day and I think the best that I can do is to ask the family to stick together and the public those that were close to him to just take it has it comes. There is nothing we can do. This has happened and we accept that he is gone. It is very very heartbreaking but there is nothing we can do,” he said.

“The best thing we can do as a family is to stick together. As friends we stick together, we make a plan now for the children that have remained. Remember he has left seven children. That is seven problems and those are not the only people that are affected. We have got close friends and relatives who literally depended on him. So I think what is important is how we come out of this not what we do in the meantime because if we do bad things that will affect the future of the children, it will affect the future of those that entirely depended on him as well,” Mr. Tembo said.

According to Copperbelt police commanding officer Sharon Zulu:”A Pistol 9mm Taurus by make, silver in colour, serial number THR 43651 was used. The victim sustained a bullet wound on his left side of the back where he was shot at and on the right side of his chest where the bullet came out. He was rushed to Progress private hospital and later to Kitwe Teaching Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The body of the deceased has since been deposited to Kitwe Teaching Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem. The firearm with one empty cartilage was recovered from the scene, arrest made.”

Vice President, Mutale Nalumango has directed Local government and Rural Development Minister Gary Nkombo to quickly approve signatories on approved Constituency Development Funds (CDF) projects to allow work to start.

Mrs Nalumango has called for the speedy implementation of CDF projects to enable people to start benefiting from the funds.

She however notes that the Ministry of Local Government is doing everything possible to approve the signatories but says the challenges affecting the implementation of the exercise should be shared as a means to find solutions.

Mrs Nalumango told ZANIS that the Minister should quickly respond to the approved projects so that the funds released in the first quarter can be utilized.

She expressed concern that funds released in the first quarter have not yet been utilized further stressing that government wants to see projects running so 5that more money can be released.

The Vice President also implored Members of Parliament, Ward Development Committees and other stakeholders to prioritise water reticulation as they identify the various CDF projects.

Mrs Nalumango said proper water reticulation remains key to human survival and that it should be one of the first things Zambians should do using CDF.

She also cautioned that government will not entertain the importation of labour on CDF related projects but rather the locals should be allowed to fully participate in projects.

Concern has been raised by some ward development committees that the Ministry of Local Government is taking long to approve the signatories to the various constituency accounts to allow successful applicants to start accessing the funds.

Governance Activist Rueben Lifuka has implored the UPND Administration to develop a comprehensive strategy in the fight against corruption.

Mr Lifuka says part of this strategy should include rebuilding confidence in the entire anti-corruption establishment.

In an interview with Hot FM News, Mr Lifuka said currently, there is very low public trust in the anti-corruption establishment. Mr Lifuka says previous administrations have offered lip service to the fight against corruption, saying the UPND needs to demonstrate that it will not fall into the same trap.

He said in the absence of corresponding actions to address the corruption problem, the UPND administration risk being written off by Zambians that they too are just offering lip service to the corruption fight.

The Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) has called on the government to increase its shareholdings in new Mines in the North Western Province.

ZFE representative Mark Salim said the only way the government can spearhead diversification in the mining sector is if it increases its shareholding in newly found mines such as Kasenseli Gold Mine in Mwinilunga District.

Mr Salim says once the government has more say in the running of early found mines in the Province, it will lead to job creation and security in the mining sector.

Speaking during the commemoration of International Labour Day in Solwezi, Mr. Salim urged the government to realise the economic potential that gold mining presents in the country.

And the Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia has called on the government to implement mechanisms that will curb the high cost of living in the country.

Union Representative, Ng’onga Tembo said the current cost of living is too high for an ordinary employee who are the majority of the Zambian work force.

Meanwhile, North Western Province Minister Robert Lihefu has called on Trade Unions to work together and lobby for their members’ welfare.

Mr. Lihefu said government cannot work with Trade unions if they are not united and do not speak with one voice.

Vice President Mutale Nalumango has called on the Private Sector especially the mines to play an important role in the creation of decent jobs for Zambians.

Mrs Nalumango said this in Kitwe during Labour Day Celebrations under the theme “Accelerating Social-Economic Transformation through sustainable and Job creation amidst Covid 19?.

And Mrs. Nalumango disclosed that the government is engaging various stakeholders to establish more industries on the Copperbelt to take advantage of the Copper.

The Vice President observed that engagements with partners as well as agreements with the Democratic Republic of Congo -DRC- will ensure value addition to the Copper being mined.

She said the agreements signed recently are a clear testimony of the new dawn administration’s commitment to ensuring a great future for the Copperbelt and the country as a whole.

The Vice President said the UPND government has laid a strong foundation capable of accelerating Social-Economic development through private sector participation.

She has further assured that government will work towards addressing bottlenecks that affect the growth of the Private Sector.

And Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) General Secretary Cosmas Mukuka urged the government to put in place measures that will focus on creating Jobs and raising productivity levels as Covid 19 measures are relaxed.

And Zambia Federation of Employers Chief Executive Officer Harrington Chibanda called for the need to address skills mismatch and gaps in the Country.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mutale Nalumango has called for professionalism among Civil Servants to avoid being used by politicians like the case was in the previous administration.

Speaking upon arrival at Peter Zuze Air force Base in Ndola for a one day working visit, Mrs. Nalumango said the UPND Administration will not allow institutions like the police to be abused but will ensure they operate professionally.
The Vice President said President Hakainde Hichilema has made it clear that under his administration the rule of law will prevail.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Nalumango has urged citizens to trust President Hakainde Hichilema because he is on the right path in transforming the country’s economy.

She said the new dawn administration will not segregate on who benefits but will ensure every Zambian gets a share.
Mrs. Nalumango said this can be evidenced by the equitable distribution of Constituency Development Fund -CDF- as well as recruitment of Health and Education Workers.

And Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo said the people in the province are happy with the leadership of the UPND.

Mr. Matambo said the increased CDF, free education and recruitment of government workers has cheered the people in the Province.

He further said he has engaged the Ministry of Local Government to address delays in the approval of CDF projects.