-President Sata has described Zambia’s hosting of the Southern African Confederations Cup (COSAFA) as historical.

Mr Sata said Zambia’s hosting of the COSAFA cup will enable the country host bigger tournaments such as Africa cup of nations among others in future.

The president has since called on the soccer funs to attend in big numbers to cheer the COSAFA cup games that will be taking place in different venues.

The head of state said this in a speech read on his behalf by Chiefs and Tradition Affairs Minister at the official opening ceremony of the CASAFA senior challenge cup at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka today.

Zambia is hosting the COSAFA senior challenge cup where a total of 13 countries are participating.

Meanwhile Namibia has beaten Mauritius by two goals to one in an exciting encounter played at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka this afternoon.

Namibia scored a goal in each half before Mauritius replied towards the end of the game.

The next encounter will be on Monday where Namibia will be taking on Seychelles at the same venue.

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Government will construct six modern rural health posts in Katuba area in Chibombo district.

Katuba constituency Member of Parliament Patrick Chikusu named the six health posts as Chilo-Cha-Balenje, Kalala, Kamaila, Kapila, Kapopo and Tampwila.

Dr Chikusu disclosed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today saying government through the Ministry of Health released funds for the construction project last week.

 “I’m happy that Katuba will get six health posts out of the 650 health institutions that will be constructed by government this year,” he said.

The Katuba Legislator further disclosed that government would rehabilitate the dilapidated clinics in rural areas.

Early this year, the Zambian government acquired a credit line amounting to KR 260 million from EXIM Bank of India for the construction of 650 rural health posts across the country.

Health Minister Joseph Kasonde recently announced that three firms from India namely Jaguar Overseas, Angelique Limited and Megha Medical Centres have won the tender to erect the prefabricated structures.

Dr Chikusu who is also Health Deputy Minister, could however not disclose how much monies government has released but commended the Patriotic Front (PF) government for the gesture of bringing health care services closer to the people in line with PF party manifesto.

In a related development, government will tar the Katuba-Mungule road as well as rehabilitate 16 other feeder roads in Katuba constituency in order to open up the area for economic activities.

Dr Chikusu added that the Ministry of Health with the support of the Danish government has released funds for the construction of four bridges in his area namely Chunga, Malundu, Mtenguleni and Shandiongo in a bid to improve the road infrastructure and road network respectively.

“These macro-projects coming up in my area will spur a lot of economic development and l must commend the PF government because it’s a plus to the people of Katuba constituency that their government is working as per campaign promises,” Dr Chikusu said.

The Deputy Health Minister stated that the massive capital projects government is embarking on is not only in his area but the country as whole due to the removal of fuel and maize subsidies which he said should be supported by all right thinking Zambians.

Dr Chikusu further said government has released additional monies to build 10 bole holes in his area to improve water reticulation system as most villagers do not have access to clean drinking water.
 

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—-Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Deputy Minister Panji Kaunda has advised farmers in Mambwe district in Eastern province not to sale their maize to briefcase businessmen.

Col. Kaunda said government want farmers to benefit from their hard work by ensuring that they sell their produce at the right price as farming is now a serious business.

He urged farmers not to panic and rush into selling their crops cheaply to vendors as the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will this year open the maize marketing exercise early.

Col. Kaunda said no farmer will in the forthcoming maize marketing season spend nights in the cold at FRA satellite depots as the agency will expeditiously purchase all crops from farmers.

He said it will not make sense for farmers to sell their produce cheaply to vendors as the FRA will this year open the maize marketing season early where they can get a better deal selling their produce to the agency.

He was speaking today when he held meetings in Chief Msoro’s area to explain the removal of fuel and maize subsidies.

And Col. Kaunda said government in the next farming season will come up with a new strategy which is three fold in the distribution of farming inputs to farmers.

He said the first strategy involves government giving out of four bags of fertilizer two D Compound and two top dressing fertilizer besides a ten (10) Kg bag of maize to farmers in exchange for each 50 kg bags of maize.

Col. Kaunda said the second is where government is subsidizing four bags of fertilizer at K 100 each and they will also be given a ten kg bag of maize seed.

The third strategy is the E-Voucher system where farmers will be given a coupon to access fertilizer at commercial value.

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The Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia (ISCoZ) has urged the Muslims community in the country not to cerebrate the differences affecting the Council including the Muslim people.

And ISCoZ has urged its members to observe peace, law and order and exhibit love, justice and equality through-out the Ramadan period in terms of worshipping Allah their God.

ISCoZ Secretary General Sheikh Phiri says the council is sometimes irked when some of its members observe Ramandan in different dates and yet there are set standards to adhere too as the Muslims institution requires.

Mr Phiri who was flanked by Council President Suzgo Zimba was speaking at the Council Secretariat in Lusaka today ahead of the official Ramadan commemoration that commences on Wednesday, July 10th, and ends on September 10, 2013.

He commended the Dubai Charity Association that has partnered with the council for donating food stuffs worth K54,000 that will be distributed to all the Mosques in Lusaka and other provinces across the country.

The donated items include 150 x 50 kilogram (Kgs) bags of rice, 104 x 25kgs of breakfast meali-meal and 200 x 10kgs bags of sugar.

Mr Phiri further called upon others to emulate the association in undertaking acts of charity works through-out the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is well known as the famous month-long fasting on the Islamic calendar for the Muslims and it is also a month of increased worship and prayer, reading and recitation of the Koran, religious devotion and spiritual reflection, self-examination and charity to the poor. 

However, the month of Ramadan, like all months on the Islamic calendar, may run either 29 or 30 days.

Fasting during Ramadan means no eating, no drinking (not even water), and no sexual relations from dawn till dusk.

Fasting is not required of children until puberty and health-based exceptions during the month-long fast are permitted for illness, old age, pregnancy and similar recognized extenuating circumstances. 

And speaking at the same occasion, ISCoZ President Suzgo Zimba dismissed assertions that the Indian people were not part of the council because his organisation is legally registered by the government of Zambia regardless of race, nationality, colour and tribe and not based on individual point of view.

Mr Zimba said the teaching of Muslim is very clear which stipulates that all Muslims were one people irrespective of nationality.

The ISCoZ President made the explanation during the question and answer session that the Indian community were party of the council despite them not recognizing it.

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The Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia (ISCoZ) has urged the Muslims community in the country not to cerebrate the differences affecting the Council including the Muslim people.

And ISCoZ has urged its members to observe peace, law and order and exhibit love, justice and equality through-out the Ramadan period in terms of worshipping Allah their God.

ISCoZ Secretary General Sheikh Phiri says the council is sometimes irked when some of its members observe Ramandan in different dates and yet there are set standards to adhere too as the Muslims institution requires.

Mr Phiri who was flanked by Council President Suzgo Zimba was speaking at the Council Secretariat in Lusaka today ahead of the official Ramadan commemoration that commences on Wednesday, July 10th, and ends on August 10, 2013.

He commended the Dubai Charity Association that has partnered with the council for donating food stuffs worth K54,000 that will be distributed to all the Mosques in Lusaka and other provinces across the country.

The donated items include 150 x 50 kilogram (Kgs) bags of rice, 104 x 25kgs of breakfast meali-meal and 200 x 10kgs bags of sugar.

Mr Phiri further called upon others to emulate the association in undertaking acts of charity works through-out the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is well known as the famous month-long fasting on the Islamic calendar for the Muslims and it is also a month of increased worship and prayer, reading and recitation of the Koran, religious devotion and spiritual reflection, self-examination and charity to the poor. 

However, the month of Ramadan, like all months on the Islamic calendar, may run either 29 or 30 days.

Fasting during Ramadan means no eating, no drinking (not even water), and no sexual relations from dawn till dusk.

Fasting is not required of children until puberty and health-based exceptions during the month-long fast are permitted for illness, old age, pregnancy and similar recognized extenuating circumstances. 

And speaking at the same occasion, ISCoZ President Suzgo Zimba dismissed assertions that the Indian people were not part of the council because his organisation is legally registered by the government of Zambia regardless of race, nationality, colour and tribe and not based on individual point of view.

Mr Zimba said the teaching of Muslim is very clear which stipulates that all Muslims were one people irrespective of nationality.

The ISCoZ President made the explanation during the question and answer session that the Indian community were party of the council despite them not recognizing it.

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Chief Jumbe of the Kunda people of Mambwe district in Eastern province has lauded government for maintaining subsidies on agricultural inputs.

The traditional ruler said the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) is of great help to farmers and therefore maintaining the subsidies on inputs was critical to ensuring that farmers continue contributing significantly to food security in the country.

The chief said this when Transport and Communications Deputy Minister Panji Kaunda called on him at his palace in Mambwe district today.

Colonial Kaunda is in Mambwe district to explain to the people government’s decision to remove fuel and maize subsidies.

Chief Jumbe said peasant farmers contribute significantly to alleviating hunger in the country hence the need for support from government and its cooperating partners.

And the traditional leader has praised President Michael Sata for sending his ministers and their deputies to explain the removal of subsidies on fuel and maize and the benefits that will result from the same.

He said people in his chiefdom were totally unaware of what subsidies were.

The traditional leader also noted that people in his area were desperate to sell their maize in order for them to address some problems.

He said some unscrupulous briefcase businessmen have however taken advantage of the farmers’ vulnerability by getting maize at a much lower price than K65 recommended floor price for a 50 kilogramme bag of maize grain.

Chief Jumbe has since called on the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to quickly open the crop marking season to enable farmers sell their crops at the right price.

Meanwhile, Chief Jumbe has said poaching has reached alarming levels in his chiefdom noting that if the situation is not addressed soon, it may have negative long term effects on the future generation.

He said wildlife was a diminishing resource and should therefore be preserved adding that Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) operations in the area have proved ineffective.

And Col. Kaunda told the traditional leader that government wants farmers to be broad minded and diversify into the cultivation of other crops other than maize.

Col. Kaunda said farmers should endeavor to engage in other forms of farming such as poultry and goat rearing and growing of other crops like millet and sorghum among others.

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Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Panji Kaunda has said the Patriotic Front (PF) government’s development records can only be equated to that of the United National Independent Party (UNIP) government.

Colonel Kaunda said the PF government has scored unprecedented success in terms of fostering development in changing the socio-economic sectors of the country despite being in office for only one year and nine months.

He charged that the Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) government in its 20 year reign lamentably failed to develop the nation.

He said the PF government has a clear road map on how it intends to develop the country adding that it will ensure that people’s living standards are uplifted.

Col. Kaunda was speaking in Mambwe district when he held a meeting in Chief Mkhyanya’s area to explain to the people the government’s decision to remove subsidies on maize and fuel.

He said people’s living conditions will undergo drastic changes at the end of the PF government’s first term in office.

And Chief Mkhyanya has appealed to all Zambians to allow the PF government to work so that it can fulfill the promises it made to the people.

The chief said unconstructive criticism of the government of the day will only act as a deterrent in government’s quest to develop the nation.

He was speaking in Mambwe yesterday when Col. Kaunda called on him at his palace.

He pledged to work closely with government in order to ensure that development is fostered in his chiefdom.

The traditional leader stressed the importance of working with the government of the day.

He also appealed to government to electrify his new palace saying he has failed to move into his new house because of lack of electricity.

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The management of the Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) has started formulating the company’s first business strategic plan since government repossessed it in September last year.

The strategic plan will determine the way forward for the company.

ZRL Chief Executive Officer Muyenga Atanga said the formulation of a plan follows an analysis of the current business and industry situation.

Dr. Atanga was speaking during the official opening of a six day workshop for ZRL managers and directors in Lusaka today.

He was however quick to point out that the railway company has not done away with its former Chief Executive Officer Clive Chirwa’s plans for ZRL.

He said the analysis will determine whether or not the company should still go ahead with Professor Chirwa’s plans.

Dr. Atanga further explained that the strategic plan will endeavor to find ways of making ZRL cost effective, more efficient and compete favourably for its survival.

He disclosed that the company has the capacity to transport five million metric tonnes of cargo per year, a freight quantity he said can provide enough revenue for the company.

He noted that it was unfortunate that currently, the company was only transporting 1.135 million metric tonnes of cargo annually.

Dr. Atanga said there was need to move away from the notion that public companies cannot generate revenue noting that ZRL has the capacity to generate its own revenue.

He has since urged the directors and managers to work hard and ensure that the draft document was in place by Saturday this week.

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The Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has bemoaned the continued rise in the number of gender based violence (GBV) cases in the country.

Council Board Chairperson Beatrice Grillo told ZANIS in a telephone interview in Lusaka today that GBV was not only affecting the present generation but was also robbing the nation of its future leaders.

She said it was sad that some of the GBV cases were resulting in deaths adding that every life lost was also a loss to the family of the victim and to the country at large.

Ms. Grillo added that GBV was furthermore affecting the nation’s development because some of the victims that get emotionally affected are those who contribute to the country’s productivity.

She said much as it was appreciated that people were now coming out in open to report GBV cases, more still needed to be done about in order to reverse the upward trend.

She said the increase in reported GBV cases was well appreciated because it shows that more people were now aware of the vice.

Ms. Grillo said there was however still need for continued sensitisation on GBV while efforts to stiffen penalties against the perpetrators should be intensified.

She was nevertheless grateful that government, through the Ministry of Gender and Child Development, was processing laws that were aimed at making GBV cases fast track in courts.

Zambia has continued to record high cases of gender based violence some of which result loss of lives despite sensitisation against the crime.

The post Rising cases of GBV amid interventions sadden NGOCC appeared first on Zambia News | Lusaka Voice.

Residents of Mulobezi district are appealing to government quickly rehabilitate the Livingstone-Mulobezi rail line and revive the train.

The residents disclosed this to Western Province Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Mwamba during his tour of the rail line at the weekend.

The rail line is in such a poor state that it takes the Mulobezi train between two and three days to travel from Livingstone to Mulobezi and vice versa, a distance of 168 kilometres.

It moves at an average speed of 15 to 20 kilometres per hour.

The residents complained to Mr. Mwamba that although they were paying only KR34 for a trip between the two towns, it was a big risk to use the train because it sometimes goes off the rail line.

And Mulobezi Train Supervisor Evaristo Muntanga also told Mr. Mwamba about the challenges the rail line was facing.

Mr. Muntanga said he was not happy to work along a rail line which was in a very bad state.

In response, Mr. Mwamba assured the residents of Mulobezi district that government, under the leadership of President Michael Sata, had a vision of rehabilitation the rail line.

Mr. Mwamba said President Sata directed that US$ 125 million from the Euro bond be given to the Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) for rehabilitation of rail lines.

He also explained that government has further considered Mulobezi district in so many projects such as water reticulation and road rehabilitation which is under link-Zambia 8,000 project.

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Teachers at Ncheka Basic School in Mambwe district in Eastern Province are abandoning the institution because of the dilapidated state of houses.

The decision for teachers to leave the school has caused the teacher-pupil ratio to widen further.

School Head Teacher Rueben Mwale said seven teachers have since left the school to work at other institutions that offer better accommodation.

Mr. Mwale said the situation has impacted negatively on the learning environment at his school.

This came to light when Works, Supply, Transport and Communications Deputy Minister Panji Kaunda held several meetings to explain to the people government’s move to scrap off fuel and maize subsidies.

Mr. Mwale has since appealed to government to quickly address the situation before the school loses even the remaining teachers.

And Mambwe District Administrative Officer Blaston Thole said plans were underway for the construction of new teachers’ houses at the school in order to retain teachers and also attract more staff to work at the institution.

Mr. Thole said the pupils’ learning process has been seriously affected by the running away of teachers from the school.

He added that government was working hard to ensure that the situation is addressed.

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Police in Senaga district of Western Province are investigating a case in which a 21-year-old man and a 15 year-old juvenile were found in possession of suspected human remains.

Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Charity Munganga named the 21-year-old man as Wamunyima Mwendabai of Nambowe village in Shangombo district who is suspected to have been acting together with a 15 year old juvenile in the crime.

Ms. Munganga said the duo were in possession of human body parts comprising of a skull, teeth and pubic hair.

In a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Ms. Munganga said the two were arrested on 2^nd July 2013 around 20:00 hours as they were trying to sell the parts to a witchdoctor.

She explained that the alert witchdoctor later reported the case to the police.

Ms. Munganga said the duo was claiming to have found the suspected remains in the Kalongola/Liombo forest but police were yet to establish the source of the suspected human parts.

She said police have since engaged experts to determine whether the remains are for a human being or not.

Meanwhile, Police in Chipata are investigating a case in which one man died on the spot while two others sustained injuries when the Mitsubishi Canter Registration number ABG 4822 they were in was shot at by unknown people using an unknown type of firearm.

Ms. Munganga identified the victims as Norwel Phiri aged between 25 and 30 was who was shot in the chest while the driver Fabian Soko and George Phiri, a passenger sustained multiple injuries.

She said the trio was ferrying 27 bales of tobacco from Mkanda’s Kambani area when the shooting happened at Lundazi turn off.

Ms. Munganga said initial investigations at the crime scene revealed that the criminals were aiming at the driver but missed him and shot at the passenger as the windscreen on the driver’s side was completely shattered.

She stated that the incident occurred yesterday, 7^th July 2013, at an unknown time in Mkanda area in Lundazi district.

The body of the deceased is lying in Chipata General Hospital mortuary whilst the injured are admitted at the same hospital.

And police have assured members of the public that they are working round the clock to bring the culprits responsible for the rampant killings across the country to book.

Ms. Munganga said the police are doing their work to guarantee the safety of all Zambians.

She said police were making headway in bringing the culprits to book but could not give further information as it would jeopardize their investigations.

She said police were working hand in hand with members of the public and other law enforcement agencies to curb the crimes.

Ms. Munganga has since urged members of the public who may have information on any of the killings to inform the police and assured the informers that they would be protected.

She said police have not yet established whether or not any of the recent killings especially in Lusaka are in any way ritualistic.

She said members of the public should not to rush to conclusions that the killings were ritualistic.

Ms. Munganga assured the public that police will remain professional in their operations and will work hard to ensure that citizens live in a crime free environment.

Recently, the country has experienced a number of killings with the recent one being that of a man whose body was found dumped in Kamwala South in Lusaka with both his eyes plucked out and tongue missing.

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Livingstone High Court Judge Gaundentia Milimo Salasini has adjourned the Livingstone parliamentary seat petition case after the petitioner’s Lawyer’s filed in their bundles of document today.

This is a case where losing UPND candidate Regina Musokotwane has petitioned the election of Evans Lawrence as Livingstone Member of Parliament.

Judge Salasini in her adjournment said the orders had not been respected and that it is notorious for the petitioner to surprise the defence as the respondent should have been given more time to study the bundle of documents.

 And before the adjournment the petitioner’s lawyer Marshall Muchende contended that the court should abandon the earlier bundle of documents and rely on the dossier that was filed yesterday.

And the lawyer for the defence Abraham Mwansa argued that the bundle of documents was served to him yesterday morning and that there was no formal application to admit the bundle of documents.

Mr. Mwansa asked the court to seek for time to study the bundle of documents.

The first respondent defence is composed of Abraham Mwansa, Elias Mutale and Mwansa Mumba.

The petitioner is being represented by Marshall Muchende.

The case continues today at 14 hours in the Livingstone High Court.

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