Councillors in Chipata have rejected the re-introduction of the bicycle levy as they debated the K56, 419 052 budget for next year.

Kapata ward councillor Naphtali Banda who is also the council’s chairperson for the finance committee unveiled the K56, 419 052 with the re-introduction of bicycle levy of K20 per year for those who were in bicycle transport business and K10 per year to those who own bicycles.

Banda also announced the introduction of motorbike levy of K50 per year.

But the re-introduction was met with strong resistance by the councillors.

Kanjala ward councilor William Phiri said he was very disappointed with the re-introduction of bicycle levy.

“This levy received a lot of negativity from the people and as a party in power this is going to de-campaign us in 2021. We must think of our people, it’s very easy for us because we can find money and put fuel and so forth and move around but it’s very difficult for people to manage to pay this levy. Even this money, it is very difficult for them even to find a K20, we must have a human heart as a council, we must think of our people,” Mr Phiri said.

After his debate Chipata mayor Sinoya Mwale asked Phiri to withdraw the word ‘disappointed’ that he used in his debate but the civic leader refused to do so on two occasions prompting the mayor to remove him from the council chamber.

Chikando ward councillor Goodson Banda said the local authority should consult widely before bringing back bicycle levy.

Later Msanga ward councilor Mwakuta Jere proposed that bicycle levy be withdrawn and Nsingo ward councilor Chisoni Miti seconded the withdrawal.

Chipata Mayor announced that the bicycle levy will not be implemented but the motorbike levy would be implemented.

The bicycle Levy was abolished by late president Levy Mwanawasa in 2006 after then MMD Eastern Province chairperson Hellen Tembo complained to him that it was enslaving the people.

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Copperbelt Patriotic Front chairperson Nathan Chanda says prospective candidates for Member of Parliament in 2021 should not fight incumbents in order to be adopted.

Chanda was responding to the apparent rift between some incumbent members of parliament and some aspiring candidates that is driving some undercurrents in the ruling party on the Copperbelt.

He has warned that the party would not allow any disturbances by aspiring candidates that have become more open in their challenges.

He said those serving now have a five year mandate and must be allowed to do so without any interference from party members.

“This is the most attractive political party in Zambia, the interests from people to stand in the next elections clearly shows. But I want to advise them to manage their ambitions, those serving have their mandates,” Chanda said.

He said that those interested to stand in 2021 should work closely with those serving adding that the Central Committee will evaluate everyone’s performance during adoptions.

“As a party, we do not want to get to a situation were serving MPs will start giving excuses of having failed to work because they were being disturbed by those aspiring,” Chanda said.

Meanwhile, Chanda has refuted reports suggesting that the 20% sub contracting policy is only benefiting Patriotic Front Members.

He said the policy is meant to benefit every Zambian and those claiming it is only for the Patriotic Front must be sincere.

“But we have so many people who have so far benefited from these projects and it’s not true that all those who have benefited are PF Members,” Chanda added.

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A lecturer at Chipata Trades Technical School has died while in Bostwana.

Dr Kingsley Kakungu had travelled for his residential school at the International Coalition of Fellowships (ICOF) University.

Bishop Dr. Alick Mbewe of ICOF disclosed that Dr. Kakungu died on Wednesday and the Fellowship had requested the government to help repatriate the body to Chipata.

He said the College of Bishops were planning to put to rest the remains of Dr. Kakungu as soon as the body arrived.

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Former Chipolopolo coach Sven Vandenbroeck has joined Tanzania side Simba SC.

Vandenbroeck takes over from another Belgian Patrick Aussems who was fired a few months after he failed to guide the team to the group stage of the Caf Champions League.

The eccentric ex-Chipolopolo coach will be on his third job on the African continent after his 2017 expedition in Cameroon where he was assistant to Hugo Broos when the Indomitable Lions won the Africa Cup of Nations.

He will re-unite with Chipolopolo star Clatous Chama at Simba SC.

Vandenbroeck has also applied for the vacant Chipolopolo job.

He left Zambia early this year after failing to qualify the team to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

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ZAMBIA has been elected as Rappoetuer for the Bureau of the Committee on Private Sector Development, Regional lntegration, Trade, Infrastructure, Industry and Technology under the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The newly elected member states to the Bureau include Djibouti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Libya and Zambia.

The Bureau will be chaired by Djibouti and Rapporteured by Zambia for the next two years.

Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia who is also Permanent Representative to the African Union and ECA, Emmanuel Mwamba, confirmed the development in a statement.

The elections were conducted during the First Session of the Committee on Private Sector Development, Regional lntegration, Trade, Infrastructure, lndustry and Technology held under the theme _”Private sector development and the digital economy in support of regional integration in Africa”from 11th – 12th December 2019.

The Committee comprises 54 member states of the African Union and holds performance review meetings and conducts elections to select countries that oversee implementation of the work programme every after two years.

Mr. Mwamba welcomed the development and said Zambia would perform the special role of Rapporteur to the Bureau and also safeguard interests of the entire Southern African region.

During the two day sessions both policy makers and private sector players from the African continent have dedicated to discussing various topics aimed at accelerating efforts of establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area and deepening regional integration towards” the Africa We Want 2063″.

He said Africa was on the right path in terms of economic integration and called for the implementation of a broad based and coordinated energy and infrastructure development strategy in order to reduce intra-Africa trade costs that have continued to negate the intensity of trade among African countries.

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The Conservatives have taken a string of former Labour strongholds, with the party forecast to win the general election with a comfortable majority.

Leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was a “very disappointing night for the Labour Party” – and he would not lead it into the next election.

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has lost her seat to the Scottish National Party.

The BBC is now forecasting the Tories will get a majority of 76, less than the 86 originally predicted.

Labour have lost seats in the North, Midlands and Wales in areas which backed Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

They are set to win 65 fewer seats than in 2017, it is suggested.

Speaking at his election count in Islington North, where he was re-elected with a reduced majority of 26,188, Mr Corbyn said Labour had put forward a “manifesto of hope” but “Brexit has so polarised debate it has overridden so much of normal political debate”.

He also took a swipe at “media intrusion” – and said he would not lead the party into the next election, but would stay on while a period of “reflection” takes place in the party.

Speaking after he was re-elected in Uxbridge, west London, with a slightly higher majority, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “It does look as though this One Nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done.”

Some traditional Labour constituencies, such as Darlington, Sedgefield and Workington, in the north of England, will have a Conservative MP for the first time in decades – or in the case of Bishop Auckland and Blyth Valley – for the first time since the seat was created.

But Labour took Putney, in south-west London, from the Tories.

The exit poll taken at 144 polling stations, with 22,790 interviews, has been adjusted to take actual results into account.

The BBC forecast suggests the Tories will get 363 MPs – 45 more than at the 2017 election.

With more than half of all seats declared, the latest forecast suggests Labour will get 197 seats, the SNP 53, the Lib Dems 13, Plaid Cymru four, the Greens one, and the Brexit Party none.

Conservative Home Secretary Priti Patel said the government would move quickly to “get Brexit done” before Christmas by introducing legislation in Parliament, if it is returned to power.

(Credit: BBC)

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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Party has suffered a setback following the resignation of its Mufulira District Chairman Pride Lombe.

Lombe has announced his departure from the Kambwili led political party citing personal reasons.

He said the decision to leave the political party will help him focus on other important issues in his private life.

Lombe ruled out any immediate intention of joining any political party.

“I am resigning my position with immediate effect as chairman to concentrate on other endeavours of life especially my family. I want to put all my efforts in family affairs,” Lombe said.

“Not really into politics maybe other organisation but away from politics, my coming out like it’s only to make it public so that all those thinking of engaging me in another ventures can be free, because others failed to my inclination to the NDC,” Lombe stated.

Lombe has since thanked the NDC for having given him an opportunity to serve the party in Mufulira District.

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Two police officers are among seven people arrested for the theft of an excavator pump in Kasempa District.

The police officers have been identified as constables Bernard Bwalya and Ignatius Chola.

Police in Ndola arrested the seven suspects after a tip off that the suspects had stolen the excavator pump, a property belonging to ATL drilling company in Kasempa and were intending to sell it in Ndola.

North Western Province Commissioner of Police who confirmed the said the suspects were arrested as they tried to sell the stolen pump to Reroy Schults.

Namachila further identified the other suspect as Daniel Mufwaya, a police reserve.

The prospective buyer recognised the pump as his machine stolen at his ATL drilling services in Kasempa District.

Namachila said the seven suspects have since been detained at Ndola central police station.

On Sunday, December 8, 2019, police in Kasempa received a case of theft that occurred in Kelongwa area of Kasempa between December 5 and 7, this year.

Namachila said Ali Nzowa, who reported on behalf of ATL drilling company, said an excavator hydraulic pump, tool box, heavy duty battery, unknown litres of diesel and hydraulic oil were stolen from a company CAT excavator.

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The Football Association of Zambia has requested former FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya to be part of the panel to select the national team coach.

Sports Minister Emanuel Mulenga said FAZ had asked him to reach out to Bwalya.

FAZ is in the process of selecting a national team coach following the departure of Belgian Sven Vandenbroeck whose contract was not renewed after Zambia failed to qualify to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

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A two year old boy has been stabbed to death by his father in Monze district Southern Province.

Zambia Police spokesperson Esther Katongo in a statement said the incident occurred on 12th December, 2019 around 23:00 hours at Kapafula Village in Monze.

“Police in Monze received a report of murder that a male Elia Hatontola commonly known as Eliya mama of Mapafula Village in Monze District murdered his two year old son identified as  Enock Hatontola by stabbing him with a knife in the abdomen,” she said.

Katongo further explained that the suspect later attempted to commit suicide by taking unknown poisonous substance but was apprehended and taken to Monze Mission Hospital.

The motive behind the killing is not yet known and the body has been picked and deposited in Monze Mission Hospital mortuary.

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Lusaka Judge Mwila Chitabo has sentenced to death a witch doctor from Paramount Chief Mpezeni area in Chipata for brutally murdering his client.

Before Judge Chitabo who was sitting in Chipata was Dalio Tembo 38 of Chipata Chire area who murdered Tilivelio Phiri 57.

Tembo murdered and severed Phiri’s head after the deceased demanded for a refund because the witch doctor’s medicine did not work.

Facts of the matter are that in April this 2019, Tilivelio went to seek assistance from Tembo for his illness.

Tembo charged him K200 for screening which he paid and K3 500 in order for him to transfer the disease to the person who bewitched him but the deceased paid a cow.

After discovering that what was agreed did not work out, Tilivelio went to Tembo’s house to be given back his cow.

The deceased never returned home and his body was found buried in a shallow grave without the head.

Some witnesses said the witch doctor was seen moving out of his house with the accused on the fateful day.

They said the deceased was carrying a small axe and a handmade bag while the witch doctor was carrying a handmade bag.

The head was however found buried at a different place but near the house of the witch doctor who was commonly known as Dr Fulama.

Judge Chitabo said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced Tembo to hang by the neck until pronounced dead.

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The Court of Appeal has thrown out the application for a stay of judgement by embattled nominated Member of Parliament Raphael Nakachinda against the restoration of Nevers Mumba to the MMD presidency.

Nakachinda had appealed Judge Sharon Newa’s restoration of Mumba to the MMD presidency after a strenuous litigation process.

Justice Siyavwapa threw out the appeal with costs because among others the application was filed on the 11th of November, 2019 when the Registrar of Societies had already changed the office bearers on the 8th of November, 2019.

Judge Siyavwapa further disagreed with the applicant that if the stay is not granted his political career will end.

“There is an argument in paragraph 12 of the 1. The applicant’s affidavit in support of the application that if a stay is not granted, the applicants’ political career will be ruined. I wonder how? But even assuming that that would be the case, I would not be drawn into sympathising with a litigant’s prospective loss at the expense of applying the law as sympathetic judgments are to be frowned upon as guided by the Supreme Court of Zambia in the Revenue Authority versus Post Newspapers”, Judge Siyavwapa said.

Judge Siyavwapa then proceeded to throw out the appeal with costs.

“I therefore, find no merit in the application before me and I dismiss it with costs to be taxed in default of agreement”, Judge Siyavwapa said.

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The Zambia under-20 men’s team will be chasing their 12^th Cosafa crown when they face defending champions South Africa at Nkoloma Stadium in the final of the 2019 edition of the tournament.

Oswald Mutapa’s fledglings have been flying high at the tournament and have put themselves on the edge of lifting that crown that Zambia last won in 2016.

Zambia will be facing a South Africa side that has won the last two editions and have also been outstanding at the tournament so far.

South Africa has won the under-20 crown eight times and will be looking to add another title this year.

Mutapa will be banking on the prolific prowess of his free-scoring frontline that has joint tournament top scorer Francisco Mwepu and Patrick Gondwe whose brace against Angola in the semi-final helped Zambia reach the final.

The likes of Eliot Kampukesa, Prince Mumba, Justin Mwanza, Chanda Mukuka and Golden Mashata provide will have to bring their best game to town if they are to outdo the South Africans.

South Africa presents the strongest threat through the immensely talented Oswin Apollis, Sinenjongo Mkiva and Rahim Milazi who have been instrumental in helping the Amajita reach their third successive final.

In the third and fourth play-off Angola will square off with Madagascar in another potentially explosive fixture.

The battle for bronze will kickoff at 11:30 hours at Nkoloma Stadium while Zambia and South Africa take to the field at 15:00 hours.

Charges are K10 open wing with K50 grandstand.

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Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of the Algerian capital, Algiers, in protest at the results of Thursday’s presidential election.

They chanted slogans against the winner, ex-PM Abdelmadjid Tebboune, a former loyalist of ousted leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Protesters are demanding that the whole political establishment be swept away.

Polling day itself was marred by protests and calls for people to boycott the election.

Mr Tebboune, 74, took 58% of the vote – enough to avoid a second round. But he and the four other candidates were criticised for being closely linked with the rule of Mr Bouteflika.

President Bouteflika stepped down following mass demonstrations across the country.

But anti-government rallies have continued since then unabated.

“The vote is rigged. Your elections are of no concern to us and your president will not govern us,” demonstrators chanted in central Algiers on Friday.

“Tebboune is worse than Bouteflika,” said one of the protesters, Meriem, a 31-year-old civil servant. “We did not vote and we will not back down.”

(Credit: BBC)

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The National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) has demanded that the Ministry of General Education reintroduces the cut-off points at grade seven level.

NAQUEZ has also asked the Ministry of General Education to increase the pass mark for entry into grade 10 from the current 40 per cent to 50 per cent to improve academic competition among learners.

NAQUEZ executive director Aaron Chansa stated in a press statement that the organisation was opposed to a system that makes every candidate pass.

“As the nation awaits release of results of the 2019 National Examinations, National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) is demanding that the Ministry of General Education reintroduces a system of cut off points at grade Seven (7) level. Like millions of Zambians, NAQEZ is totally opposed to examination system  which  allow all candidates to pass. Out of the 900 total marks at grade Seven (7), NAQEZ proposes that the cut- off point for grade Seven (7) candidates in Zambia must be 600 for both genders. This is despite  the fact that at both grades  Seven(7 )and  Nine(9) girls have been performing better than boys in recent years,” Chansa stated.

He also proposed an increase in pass mark at grade nine examination level to 50 per cent.

“To improve the quality of grade Ten (10) pupils in our Secondary schools, NAQEZ is proposing upward adjustment of the subject passing Mark from 40% to 50%. It is our considered view that the current grading system is too low( below average) and inimical to  academic competition among candidates. To avoid having an education system that only glorifies examinations at the expense of important life skills, we call on the Ministry of General Education to quickly make teaching of hands on and practical skills integral to  school life in the country. The Ministry should also make grade seven (7) as a departure point for  academically oriented learners and those gifted with various vocations,” Chansa stated. “The two tier system currently in our curriculum is excellent but just on paper. NAQEZ finds it extremely unfair for the Ministry to force pupils who are vocationally tailored to pursue an academic path. The vocational talents of these young people are being killed by not providing them with  enabling   environments which could mould them into useful and productive  adults. It is high time the Ministry considers this sterile  ‘one size fits all’ approach to education. To make sure that our educational foundations are strong, we strongly suggest that transitional tests be introduced from pre- school up to grade 6. Only academically suitable learners must be allowed to progress to the next grade. Using school based assessments, teachers must have the  discretion to prescribe who goes forward or not. The current policy of allowing everyone to go to higher grades even when they cannot read and write has killed the education system in Zambia.”

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Energy Minister Mathew Nkhuwa has said the worsened long hours of load shedding being experienced in the country are a result of faults in the supply lines.

He said when he presented a ministerial statement to parliament following a point of order raised by leader of the opposition Jack Mwiimbu that since commencement of imports on November 22, Zambia has received an average of 218 megawatts of power daily from South Africa’s Eskom.

However, Mazabuka Central UPND Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo asked Mr Nkhuwa to table the contract that Zambia signed with Eskom because “it is a matter of public concern”.

The initial agreement was for the importation of 300 megawatts of power, for which $21 million was paid, but this amount cannot be received because of transmission and path limitations, Mr Nkhuwa told Parliament.

Meanwhile, Mr Nkhuwa has said Zesco will therefore continue to implement load management with a daily minimum of 12 hours and a maximum of 17 hours for all customers.

Eskom has said it has a non-firm power supply contract with Zesco in the sense that power will only be supplied whenever the South African utility has it in excess.

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President Edgar Lungu has congratulated Boris Johnson for emerging victorious in the United Kingdom General Elections held on Thursday.

In a statement issued by his special assistant for press and public relations Isaac Chipampe, President Lungu said Johnson’s victory was an affirmation of the desire of the people of the United Kingdom to endorse the Conservative Party’s policies and vision for their country.

The President expressed confidence that Zambia and the United Kingdom would continue to explore new avenues of cooperation for the the mutual benefits of the two countries.

“I am confident, Your Excellency, that under your continued leadership, Zambia and the United Kingdom will continue to explore new avenues of cooperation for the the mutual benefits of our people,” said President Lungu in his congratulatory message to Johnson. “I wish to extend on behalf of the government and the people of the Republic of Zambia, and on my own behalf, our heartfelt congratulations on your party’s victory in the House of Commons during the General Elections. Please accept, Your Excellency, my best wishes for your personal good health, peace and prosperity for the people of the United Kingdom.”

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Zambia National Farmers’ Union president Jervis Zimba has called for investigations into the increased issuance of import permits for processed meats and meat products in disregard of the local livestock sector.

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President Edgar Lungu says his administration is awaiting a response from America over its complaint against Ambassador Daniel Foote.

The Head of State was speaking during a fundraising church service at United Church of Zambia (UCZ) St Stephen congregation in Choma today.

“Thank you to the church, thank you to UCZ especially for voicing out against unchristian values such as homosexuality. I will leave it at that because I don’t want to get you involved in politics of diplomacy and other things because it is matters which came from our friends the Americans,” he said.

President Lungu said that the nation need to know that his administration has had complained officially to the American government because the country does not want such people.

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The Patriotic Front in Eastern Province has come up with a 13 member mobilization team to be headed by former Vubwi member of parliament and veteran broadcaster Alexander Miti.

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