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Mazabuka District Commissioner Jane Chirwa has disclosed that President Edgar Lungu has given Mazabuka District over One thousand bags of Mealie meal for distribution to vulnerable communities.
Ms Chirwa said the One thousand 25 kg bags of breakfast Mealie meal we’re received in the District last week.
The D.C told ZANIS in an interview that President Lungu has since instructed her office to identify among others those whose fields were submerged in water and are likely not to harvest anything.
Ms. Chirwa added that President Lungu is also concerned with the welfare of the vulnerable families and should therefore be given the Mealie meal as well.
She said the District Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit has since started identifying beneficiaries to receive the mealie meal.
Ms Chirwa has since thanked the President for showing so much love to the people of Mazabuka whom she said have continued to receive various forms of relief from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).
A child rights activist in Mungwi district has called for the prosecution of perpetrators of violence against children.
Mable Mulilo who is also Executive Director for Agenda for Development said the law should be strengthened to punish offenders who abuse children.
Ms. Mulilo explained that children who are abused face serious physical, mental and emotional torture adding that this is why perpetrators should be punished severely.
“Victims of violence remain traumatized with indelible injury, mental torture, social neglect and stigma for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Ms Mulilo said this is in an interview with ZANIS in Mungwi today.
She has further called on stakeholders to work together during this period of Covid 19 to end all forms of abuse against children.
Ms. Mulilo said traditional leaders should also be involved in protecting children from bad vices that causes injury to their lives.
“We all need to be involved in ensuring that perpetrators of violence against children are brought to book,” Ms. Mulilo said.
Government has implored the public service and private sector to emulate former Secretary to Cabinet Roland Msiska’s 35 years legacy of professionalism and dedication to public service.
Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili said late Dr Msiska was a gallant public servant and true son of the soil.
Reverend Sumaili said Dr Msiska was a principled man who valued service above personal gain and contributed immensely to Zambia’s development through the various capacities he served in the public service locally and internationally.
Speaking on behalf of the Government during the funeral service of Dr Msiska at Healing Word Ministries Global Heart Church in Lusaka, Reverend Sumaili said the late Secretary to Cabinet believed in transforming the public service to meet the aspirations and expectations of Zambians.
ZANIS reports that Rev Sumaili said Dr Msiska was influential in implementing reforms aimed at transforming the public service in order to improve public service delivery to Zambians.
The Minister pointed out that the Smart Zambia concept introduced by Dr Msiska has positively changed the way the government operates and conducts business.
Rev Sumaili eulogized Dr Msiska as a public service worker who exemplified loyalty to the Head of State and believed in doing what is right.
Reverend Sumaili added that Dr Msiska also worked hard as Director General of the Zambia Atomic Energy Agency to help the country develop alternative energy sources due to increasing climate change effects on the country’s traditional sources of energy.
In his homily, Apostle Christopher Kalima urged Christians and Zambians in general to make use of the talents and skills God has given them to impact and serve society as demonstrated by Dr Msiska.
Dr Msiska served as Secretary to Cabinet from 2013 to 2019 and as Director General of the Zambia Atomic Energy Agency from 2019 until his death on Wednesday March 24, 2021 after some health complications.
At the time of his death, Dr Msiska was serving his second term as President of the African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM).
AAPAM Secretary General George Kojo Scott described Dr Msiska as a servant leader of impeccable qualities with an entrenched vision of transforming the public service in Africa.
Dr Kojo Scott said Dr Msiska legacy will live on as an outstanding public servant who provided best solutions to Africa’s Public administration and management ills.
His widow Glynis and four children described him as a great spiritual and generous person who strived to improve the welfare of not only his family but strangers and society.
Global Heart Church Elder Mwaba Chilekwa said Dr Msiska was a spiritual and prayer warrior who strived to serve God and started the implementation of President Edgar Lungu’s vision of the construction of the National House of Prayer in Lusaka.
Dr Msiska was put to rest at the Leopards Hill Memorial Park in Lusaka.
And family representative Christopher Msiska thanked President Edgar Lungu for according Dr Roland Msiska a state funeral.
Mr Msiska thanked the government, well-wishers and the church for the financial, material and spiritual support provided to the family.
He thanked Secretary to Cabinet Dr Simon Miti and the Medical Association of Zambia for providing a befitting professional send off for Dr Msiska.
The funeral service was attended by Deputy Chief Justice Micheal Musonda, First Deputy Speaker Catherine Namugala, Justice Minister Given Lubinda, Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa and Bank of Zambia Governor Christopher Mvunga, and other serving and retired senior government officials, representatives of Service Chiefs and Dean of the Diplomatic Corp.
Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo says police are well equipped and ready to police the August 12, 2021 general elections
Speaking on the national broadcaster, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Kabusha Bemba Radio programme on Radio one and monitored by ZANIS in Chinsali, Mr. Kampyongo said Government has bought equipment for the police to enable them to perform their duties effectively.
Mr. Kampyongo who is also Shiwang’andu area member of parliament said Government has also bought vehicles for the police service saying the onus is now on the police to prove that they are equal to the task.
The Home Affairs Minister said the police service has undergone a transformation in recent past and the Government is committed to improve the operations of the police in providing peace and safeguarding property for all the Zambian citizens.
“We have fully equipped the Zambia Police and they are ready to police the forthcoming general elections,” said Mr. Kampyongo.
Mr. Kampyongo also disclosed that the recruitment of police officers which has been decentralized in all provincial headquarters was going on smoothly.
He said the decentralized recruitment of police officers has enabled youths across the country to find it easy to take part in the recruitment exercise.
The Home Affairs Minister added that with more funding permitting, and depending on the coronavirus situation, Government will recruit more officers next year.
On the eligibility of President Edgar Lungu in the 2021 general elections, Mr. Kampyongo said President Lungu will be on the ballot paper in the 2021 presidential elections because he is eligible.
He said when President Lungu took over following the death of President Michael Sata, he did not save a full term but merely finished the term started by President Sata which was less than 3 years.
Mr. Kampyongo said the Constitutional Court has already ruled on the eligibility of President Lungu in the 2021 general elections and President Lungu will be on the ballot paper.
Mr. Kampyongo said President Lungu has taken development to all parts of the country because he loves all the Zambian people.
He appealed to the Zambian people to ignore rumours that President Lungu will not contest the 2021 presidential elections.
Mr. Kampyongo said the Patriotic Front (PF) government has delivered and transformed Zambia making it the people’s party of choice.
Mr. Kampyongo said the Government under the able leadership of President Lungu has performed and will continue bettering the lives of all the Zambian people.
He said Government has managed to improve electricity supply through massive investment in the energy sector that has seen several hours of load shedding that rocked the country in recent years, being a thing of the past.
“We had difficulties in power generation that resulted in long hours of load-shedding which is now a thing of the past, “said Mr. Kampyongo.
And Mr. Kampyongo has disclosed that Mwika to Lubwa Road will be worked on by the Zambia National Service (ZNS) immediately after the rains.
He also reaffirmed government commitment to finish construction of the Kasama -Chinsali Road which has been re-scoped.
And Mr. Kampyongo has announced that he has applied to re-contest the Shiwang’andu parliamentary seat.
He said he will continue to better the lives of the people of Shiwang’andu District through massive infrastructure development that he is initiating in the constituency in the areas of health and education.
Mr. Kampyongo who is also PF Member of the Central Committee (MCC) has appealed aspiring candidates at various levels not to use money to entice people to adopt them.
FIRST Quantum Minerals (FQM) has given thirty-one laptops valued at more than K300,000 to Trident Foundation Ltd (TFL) sponsored students at Northern Technical College (Nortec) in Ndola.
Speaking during the handover of 31 laptops to TFL sponsored students at Nortec, FQM Government relations specialist Godwin Beene said in Zambia, the mining firm’s corporate social investment (CSI) activities focus on agriculture support, health support and education support as pillars for sustainable development.
Dr Beene said the need for computers arose from the Covid-19 situation that called for online classes as students could not be in school.
The school management reached out to Trident Foundation to assist the students and the company obliged because of the value that both companies place on education.
He noted that TFL is a “not-for-profit” organisation funded by FQM to facilitate corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and manage community relations in the area of operation of its subsidiary company, Kalumbila Minerals Limited.
He said the organisation aimed at building local capacity in the areas of agriculture, education, local businesses, and health. FQM also supports initiatives that are of public benefit in nature and aligned with sustainability values.
“Education support is one of the key areas of support and we at FQM strongly believe in its ability to empower and liberate the mind, thereby giving individuals an opportunity to live dignified lives,” Dr Beene said.
He stressed that the mining company has been sponsoring students at Nortec since 2017.
This year the mining giant has a total of 38 students pursuing various livelihood support skills development programmes in addition to in-house and customised training initiatives between FQM and the institution.
“We greatly appreciate the partnership with your institution and through working together, we believe that we shall make a sustainable positive change in the lives of our scholars. It is with great joy that today we meet to handover 31 laptops valued at K324,929 to our students at this institution, to enhance access to information as a way of adding value to their education,” Dr Beene told Nortec acting Principal Martin Kasonso.
Dr Beene expressed gratitude that the Northern Technical College Management and staff enjoyed a good relationship with the institution since 2017 when FQM first enrolled its sponsored students.
“We are indeed cognisant of the role Nortec is playing in skills development at national level and the ripple effect is visible countrywide, hence the rationale for FQM to also sponsor students at the institution,” he added.
He reiterated that TFL has been offering education support to the communities in the Kalumbila Mine area of operation from its inception, which includes a scholarship programme. The scholarship programme started in 2015 with only 62 students who were sponsored at primary school level.
Dr Beene added that currently, 208 students were being supported at different levels of education starting from primary school right through tertiary education.
A total of 57 students had graduated in different skills training in various fields including heavy equipment repairs, mechanical fitting, metal fabrication and welding; and electrical engineering courses.
Dr Beene urged students to utilise the laptops and maximise them to their own benefit.
“I call upon each one of you to take care of these laptops as other students coming after you will also need to utilise them. You have an opportunity to do your research, finish your assignments on time and ensure that you succeed in your courses. Your future depends on all that you do during your school life and my advice to you is to make informed decisions because the future of this country lies in the youths, such as yourselves,” he stated.
Dr Beene said FQM remains committed to supplementing Government efforts in providing quality education in line with Zambia’s Seventh National Development Plan; and the Education and Strategic Skills Plan and that the firm’s education support principles are also aligned with Sustainable Development Goal Number Four.
“Imagine a society without education, and just imagine how life would be! In accordance with FQM values of working smart, our institution believes that education should result into positive change, otherwise it is a waste of resources. The knowledge and skills being acquired here must make good change in your lives and contribute to the community you are coming from,” he explained.
Nortec acting Principal Martin Kasonso expressed joy that the donation of laptops by the mining entity to its sponsored students had taken off in line with Government’s call to increase access to technical education and vocational training.
“What Kalumbila Minerals Limited has done by empowering the young people from the region where they have mining interest, is to empower them with tools that they can use to access technical education is something other sponsors at Nortec should emulate.”
NORTEC students sponsored by Kalumbila Minerals’ Trident Foundation listen attentively during the donation of laptops.
Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Sangowayo Zyambo has said, Government is undertaking policy reforms targeted at unlocking growth for specific commodities.
Speaking when he addressed Zambians in the Diaspora during a diaspora-wide digital Town Hall meeting organised by ‘Zambians Together in partnership with the Zambia High Commission UK, Zambian Business Club CIC and the ZamOxbridge, Mr. Zyambo said the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the private sector, and other Co-operating Partners is currently developing Joint Commodity Action Plans, focusing on the 12 commodities such as, Maize, Cassava, Wheat, Onions, Potatoes, Virginia and Burley Tobacco, Cotton, Soya beans, Cashew and Rice.)
Mr. Zyambo urged people living in the diaspora to invest in the production of wheat, saying that the commodity was of strategic importance, thereby providing key input in the production of bread and other confectionaries.
He observed that if properly harnessed, the wheat industry has huge potential to contribute towards job creation, stabilization of the foreign exchange rates as well as enhancing the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Wheat production has been fluctuating over the years, mainly because of the unfair competition, limited water resources, poor electricity supply. As a Ministry want to ensure wheat is classified under infant industries in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Maintain 15% excise duty on imported wheat and engage Ministry of Water Development and Environmental Protection to address industry concerns over water permits/user rights,” he said.
Mr. Zyambo said following the decision to stop issuance of export permits to framers, there has been an increase in the prices of potatoes on the local market.
“The Ministry is soon to engage local producers and suppliers to establish the reasons behind the drop in quality and rise in prices for potatoes. It should be noted that the measures in place to protect local producers of onions and potatoes will have adverse effects on product quality and prices in the short term, whereas in the long term will yield improved product quality, and
consistent production and supply,” he said.
Meanwhile, the permanent secretary said the Ministry was in the process of amending the tobacco legislation to provide a conducive environment for private sector investment.
“The legislation governing the tobacco industry needs to be updated to match the changes in the tobacco industry. The lack of recent amendments to the law has affected growth in the industry due to lack of investor confidence as the law is considered to be outdated and archaic and does not provide a conducive environment for private sector investment. Thus, it has become necessary to repeal and replace the Tobacco Act, Cap 237 and the Tobacco Levy Act, Cap 238,” he said.
And National Savings and Credit Bank (NATSAVE) Manager of Strategic Partnerships Gilead Musinga has called on Zambians living abroad to open diaspora bank accounts.
“We are encouraging you to open a diaspora savings account where you will be depositing on a regular basis to save, invest in a project or business venture and open a Commercial account, Natflex or an SME account. Open a Fixed Deposit Account and earn interest or partner with Natsave on projects that are aimed at growing the economy and improving lives of the rural population,” Mr Musinga said.
Speakers at the Town Hall meeting included, Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Lieutenant General Paul Mihova, Bruno Mweemba founder and CEO of Panuka Enterprise Limited (TA Panuka Farm) which is a horticulture and livestock farm focused on high-value vegetable products, Bobby Singh, CEO of Humanity Zambia, a Community Based Organisation (CBO) in Mkushi Zambia and Maria Zaloumis, CEO and Founder of Tuzini Farms and Tuzini Group of Companies.
The Zambia Medical Association has disclosed that 16 medical doctors have succumbed to COVID-19 from January 2021 to date.
Association President Dr. Samson Chisele says the Association is worried to see such a huge number of frontline health workers die during this difficult time.
Dr. Chisele has described the loss of the 16 doctors as a fivefold increase compared to 3 who died in 2019.
Meanwhile, Dr Chisele has welcomed the government’s decision to approve the acquisition of Covid-19 vaccines saying, it will lessen the disease burden.
Dr. Chisele said the decision is long overdue looking at the many health experts and ordinary citizens who have succumbed to the disease.
Minister of Health Dr. Jonas Chanda says about eight point three million Zambians are expected to be vaccinated.
Dr. Chanda says over three million people will benefit from the free vaccine through the Covax mechanism while the government will have to source for funds to buy vaccines over four million people.
Zambia has continued battling the Covid19 pandemic and has in the last 24hours recorded 325 cases with 4 deaths.
United Party for National Development (UPND) has said that it has made amendments to some of the rules governing qualifications to stand as Member of Parliament, Mayor, Council Chairperson and Councillor, says.
Briefing the media yesterday, UPND Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa stated that the party had earlier demanded that those who wished to contest on its ticket needed to have been members of the party for a period not less than 2 years.
Addressing the Press at the UPND secretariat, Mr Mweetwa, who is also Choma Central MP, stated that the party had waived off the two-year membership for those intending to contest on its ticket.
He said the move is aimed at allowing a wide pool of aspirants to have a chance to bring their political aspirations forward.
“In line with what the UPND Elections Chairperson, Hon. Nkombo stated (last week) that we had extended the application period. We, have since, as UPND made amendments to some of the rules and regulations to stand as MP, Mayor, Council Chairperson and Councillor. Remember, we had put a rule that for anyone to contest on the party ticket, we had put the rule of 2-year membership. The party has since waived or abolished that rule,” said Mweetwa.
Mweetwa also disclosed that UPND has an overwhelming response over the adoption as it had an average of four applicants for each constituency.
He stated that the move was an indication of the party growth and height that the largest opposition political party has attained, adding that the party had “become of age to take the reigns of governance!”
UPND Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa says President Hakainde Hichilema has set the repealing of infamous Cyber Security and Cyber Crime Bill NAB2 as his number one priority once he is ushered into office on August 12.
Mr Mweetwa has called on party members across to be wary of sharing information that has the potential to land them in trouble with the authorities.
President Edgar Lungu last week hurriedly assented to the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Bill NAB2, a move aimed at shrinking the media space in the country.
“We want to tell the nation that HH has committed to repeal the Cyber Security [and Cyber Crimes Bill]. That’s one of the things he will do ever. He has committed to that. Look! The freedoms of the people of this country have been invaded,” he said.
He has also alleged that the PF has turned the public media into its tool for propaganda, accusing the ruling party of feeding Zambians on a menu of lies.
“When you talk about the public broadcaster, it is not what people say that should be heard, it is what the State want people to hear. Feeding the nation on a menu of lies. The only platform that remained for people to communicate information was social media and now they have gone into that space to shrink it,” charged Mweetwa.
He warned that being the gatekeepers of information, journalists were likely to be affected by the enacted BILL.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Emmanuel Mwamba says Zambia has a cadre of young and inventive entrepreneurs who are ready to take Zambia to great heights but lack capital, technical support and business mentorship.
Speaking when he addressed the first Zambia Virtual Youth Summit organized by the Anakazi Center for Women Empowerment and Development, Mr. Mwamba said Zambians are determined to create a country of their own dreams.
He called on all stakeholders to strengthen activities and policies that will promote home-grown entrepreneurs and involve young people at all levels.
He said Government alone could not manage to provide jobs to all its citizens but with a good entrepreneurial base in place, unemployment could be a thing of the past if youth entrepreneurship was aggressively promoted.
“No foreign country can develop our country. We have to develop it ourselves. Therefore, we must take an inclusive approach where we involve everyone, especially women and young people.”
He said both government and the private sector needed to invest in young people. He said there was a general recognition that few formal job opportunities existed and therefore, all stakeholders needed to give life skills to young people.
He said this way, the young people could employ themselves and employ others.
Mr. Mwamba also called for special attention to be given to girls’ education if national development was to be attained equitably.
“We need to pay special attention to the girls so that they are not left behind in the developmental agenda of Zambia. We need more young and innovative entrepreneurial ladies who are going to help transform Zambia,” he said.
He also called on the government and the private sector to involve young people in decision-making.
“We cannot decide for what young people want. We need to understand that they can help make the decisions. We need to bring them to all the tables, whether it’s at government level, at company level and whatever group level in everything that we do.”
The inaugural Youth Virtual Summit also held a special event called; “The Eagle’s Nest Summit”. This was a pitch event by young people to table their business ideas.
The Eagle’s Nest with a theme: “Where Ideas Are Born to Soar”, gave empowerment and opportunity to the youth of Zambia to think beyond their current limitations and convert their complaints and frustrations into a competitive advantage in business.
Three teams made up of youth from all over Zambian were invited to come together, discuss the challenges they saw in their local communities and create viable business-based solutions to their real-world problems.
They were then invited to pitch their ideas to a judging panel of four industry experts from around the world.
The budding entrepreneurs were given ten minutes to pitch their ideas to industry experts in the hope of being selected as the winning team that would walk away with the prize that would fund their business venture.
The pitches from the nest came from; Team Agriculture, who planned to take a food subsides where 60% of harvested crops are wasted due to its perishable nature and convert it into “Reel Paste” a processing company that converts overripe tomatoes into different flavored tomato purées and pastes.
Team Education and Health fired back with a pitch that focused on mental health not money, although funding is invaluable, they rooted their pitch in healing and supporting the emotional scars that Zambians living with mental health issues and disabilities suffer from and can get stigmatized by. Their pitch focused on developing an online app offering premium support services tailored to physical, psychological, and physiotherapeutic needs.
Mr. Mwamba announced that the winning prize was scooped up by Team Climate Change, their business, known as “Plastic Belt” would be the ultimate pitch that judges felt had potential because; “it offered more than one revenue stream due of the nature of its distribution channel” said judge Constance Moonzwe from the USA.
Their pitch outlined how they would collect and convert plastic waste from Zambia’s municipalities and convert it into building blocks. These unique blocks lock together when stacked and can be used to build homes.
Human liberation is basically a question of moral and spiritual values. If a person sees the meaning of one’s life in one’s material well-being, accumulating wealth becomes an end in itself – “eat and drink for tomorrow you will be dead”. If, on the other hand, a person sees the meaning of one’s life in spiritual values, that is the love of God and the love of one’s neighbour, then material possessions become mere means towards an end.
Faith in God should free a person from enslavement to one’s material possessions and enable one to use the riches of this world towards truly human ends, that is living a life of love in communion with God and one’s fellow persons.
The radical transformation that is necessary to free a human being in the very depth of one’s heart from selfishness and greed is a gift from God. No one can give oneself this “new heart” (Ez 11: 18-19).
It’s not by fighting to the bitter end, but by analysing the causes of the conflict and by resolving it, that we can create conditions in which the self-reliant efforts of our people will bear fruit. We can only build such a society with the free cooperation of all its members.
A human being finds fulfilment in committing one’s whole person in freedom to the service of one’s fellow human beings.
Our party has adopted many pastors or revends as parliamentary and local government candidates. For them, only with God’s help can we transform a society inclined to greed, selfishness and hatred into a “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17), capable of love, compassion and generosity. It’s God’s work through them. As followers of Christ, put all their trust in the kingdom of God. Far from waiting its arrival in passivity, they strive with all their might towards its realisation here and now well knowing, however, that God alone, who has announced its coming through Christ, will bring about its completion. This is the way in which we are pursuing our aim of radical transformation of our people and society.
Spirituality refers not only to our spiritual life. It refers to a human being as a whole, in his or her spiritual and bodily unity. In the Gospels, the totality of the human being is what brings life to the spirit. Thus, spirituality isn’t the way you feel the presence of God. Nor is it the way you believe. Jesus said, “Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Thus, spirituality is a way of living life according to the spirit. For Christians, living is the best way of believing. Faith without deeds is worthless; as James stated, “What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but has not works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is all-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith, by itself, if it has not works, is dead” (James 2:14 -17).
Our way of life is the result of what we believe.
If we consider the Gospel accounts, we can clearly see that Jesus’ spirituality wasn’t one of withdrawal from the world, of moving away from everyday life in order to better serve God, or of denying earthly realities. In John 17:15, Jesus asked his Father to keep his disciples from evil without taking them out of the world.
Jesus’ entire existence was one of immersion in the ideological conflict, in the arena where different concepts and options for or against the oppressed, exploited, humiliated, marginalised were discussed. Nor was Jesus’ spirituality that of moralism. That is the spirituality of the Pharisees, who turn their moral virtues into a sort of conquest of sanctity. Many Christians have been trained along these lines and lose strength in their faith because they don’t manage to adjust to the pharisaical moralism they seek. God seems to live on top of the mountain, and spirituality is taught as a manual for mountain climbing to be used by Christians interested in scaling its steep slopes. Since we are of a fragile nature, we begin our climb over and over again – it is the constant repetition of the Sisyphus legend, rolling the stone uphill.
The Ministry of Finance and over one-hundred (100) participants from over twenty (20) International Commercial Banks and Export Credit Agencies (ECA) with loan exposure to Zambia, Thursday, held a virtual meeting for an update on the country’s macroeconomic and fiscal situation, engagement with the IMF, and the authorities’ strategy to restore public debt sustainability.
Budget and Economic Affairs Permanent Secretary EMMANUEL PAMU was Zambia’s lead speaker during the virtual meeting with the International Commercial Banks and Export Credit Agencies.
In his remarks during the meeting, Dr PAMU explained that the ongoing Covid-19 crisis had created major challenges for the Zambian economy and that the country remained committed to restoring public debt sustainability and maintaining transparent engagement with all creditors.
“This meeting gives me an opportunity to reiterate our strong commitment to resolve this situation and devise, with your assistance and cooperation, a responsible and sustainable solution to our debt problems,” he said.
Dr PAMU and his team of officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Zambia used the occasion to respond to questions from the creditors pertaining to Zambia’s macroeconomic situation, engagement with the IMF, and the debt restructuring exercise.
The Permanent Secretary requested all participating banks and respective Export Credit Agencies to consider forming a Private Creditor Coordination Committee to enhance communication and transparency, going forward.
Zambia’s Eurobond holders have already constituted a similar arrangement. The Government is in the process of engaging bilateral creditors under the G20
Common Framework, with a view to also encourage them to form a similar coordination arrangement.
“I want to thank all the investors for participating in this highly productive virtual meeting, which we hope, further demonstrates the Zambian Government’s commitment to remain transparent and work closely with all our creditors as we make progress towards restoring Zambia’s public debt sustainability,” Dr PAMU said at the conclusion of the meeting.
He added that it is the Government’s sincere hope that the process will result in the formation of a Private Creditor Coordination Committee to facilitate greater communication and data dissemination going forward.
Jumulo FC bounced back to the top of the FAZ Copperbelt Division 1 table following a 1-0 win over Police Blue Eagles in Kamfinsa on Sunday.
Jumulo have displaced vanquished Mutondo Stars from the top of the table.
Midfielder Mubiana Muleta scored an 83rd minute penalty away at Kamfinsa Grounds as Jumulo moved to 30 points, three above Mutondo, after 13 matches played.
Mutondo remained on 27 points following a 3-2 loss to “Blue Devils” Luanshya United at Garden Park Stadium in Kitwe.
Meanwhile, Kalulushi Modern Stars recorded their second straight when to stay third on the table.
Kalulushi on Sunday beat Mufulira United 2-0 at home in Kalulushi to move to 24 points after playing 13 matches.
Sports Minister Emmanuel Mulenga is disappointed with Chipolopolo’s failure to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Zambia’s slim chances of qualifying for Cameroon 2021 ended on Thursday night following a 3-3 home draw against African champions Algeria in the penultimate Group H match in Lusaka.
This is the third straight time Zambia is missing out on AFCON qualification.
“I think as Sports Minister indeed I am concerned that we have not gone to the Africa Cup,” Mulenga said.
”We need to go back to the drawing board and what we are working up on as a ministry is to make sure we introduce the FAZ league in schools. From Grade one to Grade 12 the pupils should have a league. We are introducing leagues in schools.”
Mulenga said a poor start to the qualifying campaign costed Zambia a place at the Cameroon tournament.
“We need to look at the mistakes which were made, especially when we played Zimbabwe here at home and when we played Botswana away,” he said.
Zambia lost three of the first four matches in the qualifying campaign – going down 5-0 to Algeria, 2-1 to Zimbabwe and 1-0 to Botswana.
“If we didn’t lose those games I think we were going to be in a better position to qualify. So we should treat each game with the importance it deserves whether it is the first game or the second game. We should not only put our heads together when we reach almost at the far end and then we start saying if we win this then we have chances to qualify.”
Mulenga concluded: “Let’s win the first games, let’s make sure we win the first games so that the games which we will remain there after will be just for formality sake.”
Meanwhile, Zambia faces Zimbabwe in the last group match on Monday away in Harare in a formality encounter on the same day Algeria will be hosting Botswana in the north.
