3445-21-29/02/24

BEING VOTED OUT

No 1684 K15 www.diggers.news Wednesday March 6, 2024

IS OKAY - NKOMBO
If you did the right thing to save lives
L
By Mwiche Nalwimba
OCAL Government
Minister Gary Nkombo says
it is dignifying to be voted
And Nkombo
condemned some marketeer
has
MoH records 9 Covid
deaths, 3,292 cases
and Rural out of office for doing the for saying only cows will
Development right thing. vote for President Hakainde
Hichilema.

Remove Muchende to
Story on Page 7
Story on Page 5

pave way for investigation

– TIZ
T
By Mwenya Mofya
R A N S PA R E N C Y of Health medical supply
International Zambia contract. Story on Page 5
(TIZ) says President
Hakainde Hichilema
should temporarily remove
Solicitor General Marshal Government
explains
Muchende SC from office
should the Anti-Corruption
Commission decide to
investigate the complaint of
abuse of authority against
him.
ZNS private
Lusaka lawyer Frank
Gwaba has reported dealing in
mealie meal
Muchende to ACC for abuse of
authority after the duo differed
over commission in a Ministry
Story on Page 2

Facebook goes
down Story on Page 2
3321-14-31/02/24
2. Local News www.diggers.news Wednesday March 6, 2024

Woolley commends HH for declaring early state of emergency

B
By Mwenya Mofya
RITISH High
Commissioner to
Zambia Nicholas
Woolley has commended
President Hakainde
Hichilema for declaring
an early state of national
emergency, saying this will
allow cooperating partners to
respond appropriately.
And Health Minister Sylvia
Masebo says there is need to
consider allocating part of the
social cash transfer to NHIMA
so that vulnerable groups
can also have easy access to
healthcare.
Speaking when he paid a
courtesy call on the Minister
of Health, Tuesday, High
Commissioner Woolley said it
was devastating to learn that a
huge number of Zambians were
now food insecure as a result of
crop failures.
“Thank you for receiving
me and the team from the High
Commission and to express
UK’s solidarity with the people
of Zambia in this difficult time
of not just the cholera outbreak
but the national drought and
emergency. I wish to commend
the Zambian leadership and
the dedication by the health
workers in their response to
the cholera outbreak. There’s a
lot still to go and the UK will
continue to be a strong partner
for Zambia as you deal with the
cholera outbreak. We’ve so far
provided substantial support
of over K30 million to the
Red Cross who are the official
partners for the community
level response. We’ve deployed
several teams to work, peer to
peer, under the leadership of
your Ministry and ZNPHI,” he
said.
“You also mentioned
the drought and the terrible
consequence that the lack of
rains over several weeks have
had on the people in Zambia.
It’s devastating to learn the
huge number of Zambians
that are now food insecure as
a result of crop failures across
much of this country. I wish to
commend the bold leadership
of the President in declaring
an early state of a national
emergency which will, among
other things, allow partners
such as ourselves to be able
to respond in a way that you
determine appropriate. Part of
that response, as the President
mentioned, requires a very
quick expansion of the social
cash transfer programme
through modest transfers to
one million households who
have now been affected by the
drought and the consequences
of it. So, that’s an area that we’ve
long partnership with Zambia
and something we’ve already
committed to supporting”.
High Commissioner
Woolley said the UK was
committed to its long term
partnership with Zambia in
many sectors.
“The UK is a proud
supporter of your work and
the UN’s through its nutrition
programme and it’s something
we’re already speaking with
your team and other partners
about how we can ensure that a
lot of that work is also dedicated
to the drought response. We
remain committed to our
long term partnership with
Zambia in many sectors. And
the health sector is one of the
most important areas for us
in that partnership,” said High
Commissioner Woolley.
Meanwhile, Masebo, who
spoke first, said there was
need to consider allocating
part of the social cash transfer
to NHIMA so that vulnerable
groups could also have access
to healthcare.
“One of the programmes
we’re looking at as a Ministry
towards supporting the
vulnerable groups is to help
these people to register
themselves as NHIMA
members so that they can
access health care any time. I’ve
getting desperate,” she said.
“So, I was thinking that
maybe we can work out
something there. We can get
support around that issue of a
certain category of people who
are very desperate to be assisted
and access membership to
NHIMA. I was thinking
that part of that [social]
cash transfer can capture the
health component. Sometimes
somebody may not feel the need
to register themselves even
when the amounts of money
NHIMA is asking people to pay
is very small; it’s much smaller
than a bag if mealie meal. It’s
a mindset change because in
the past, people used to access
anything. So maybe instead of
giving them that money, it will
be better to give that money to
NHIMA for their membership.
So I think it’s one area I’d
want to put on the table for
consideration because the need
for health has become critical
during this period of time”.
cases among children. So the
issue of nutrition during this
period of time will become
very key if we are to protect
the gains we’ve made in that
regard,” she said.
Masebo said it was
important to direct most
resources to areas that would
reduce the disease burden in
the country.
“I hope that the donors
can also help us. I noticed that
one of the challenges I have
in this Ministry is that even
when we talk about workshops,
you find that most workshops
are basically donor-funded.
So you will find that we’re
concentrating on workshops
and not doing our everyday job
because these workshops have
sitting allowances which attract
most of our officers rather
than sitting in the office doing
actual work. So you find that
people get around, waste so
much time in these workshops.
They are important but I think

Facebook and Instagram outage:

found a situation on the ground Masebo said the drought we have to realign looking at
where a poor person goes to might see the Ministry of the situation that we’re in and
our health facility to access a Health recording a lot of maybe use that money for
service, they are sent to buy malnutrition cases among things that can really reduce

Widespread disruption resolved certain drugs from a NHIMA-

accredited facility or go back
home because they don’t have
children.
“…We are worried as a
Ministry because what this
on disease burden. This year is
going to be tricky and we really
need to put money where we

M
ETA’s platforms, including Facebook
and Instagram, went down for
thousands of users on Tuesday,
because of what the company called a “technical
issue.” The outage was resolved within around
two hours.
As many as 500,000 Facebook users had
reported issues logging in or accessing the site
as of mid-morning Eastern Time on Tuesday,
money. And now with the means is that we may now start think is going to help us,” said
Meta’s status page on Tuesday showed “major drought, I see the situation facing a lot of malnutrition Masebo.
disruptions” impacting Facebook login, as well as
some other areas of the platform.
“We’re aware people are having trouble
accessing our services. We are working on this
now,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in a
Illicit financial externalisation putting
post on X Tuesday.
About an hour and a half after the outage pressure on Kwacha – Hambayi
reports started ticking up, fewer than 80,000

according to outage tracker Downdetector.
Around 50,000 outage reports had been issued
regarding Instagram and another 10,000 for
Facebook Messenger, although the number of
reports had already begun to fall within an hour
after they began.
Some users found they had been logged out of
their Facebook accounts. Others got notifications
on Instagram that “something went wrong” and
their feeds could not be loaded.
Threads, Meta’s competitor to Elon Musk’s X,
also went down and showed users a popup that
said “Something went wrong, please try again
later” in place of their feed.
E
people were reporting issues with Facebook, By Philip Chisalu transactions. how we are able to manage our
according to Downdetector. Reports about CONOMIST Trevor Commenting on this in an externalisation of resources. If
Instagram and Messenger had also dropped Hambayi says the interview, Tuesday, Hambayi you think about $2.8 billion,
sharply. Downdetector is a measure of only the externalisation of said the revelation by FIC this is the illicit financial flows
users who report issues, so the real number of money through illicit financial could suggest that over $10 so essentially, it is that you
affected users is likely higher. transactions is putting billion was being externalised are looking at more than $10
Just after noon ET, Meta said it had resolved pressure on the Kwacha. yearly, advising government to billion in a year that is being
the issue. According to the Financial introduce exchange controls externalised from the country.
“Earlier today, a technical issue caused people Intelligence Centre (FIC) to help curb illicit financial This is what is putting pressure
to have difficulty accessing some of our services,” fourth-quarter report for the transactions. on our exchange rate. Remember
Stone said on X. “We resolved the issue as quickly year 2023, over US$2.8 billion “It is a very big concern what we are trying to create as a
as possible for everyone who was impacted, and was transferred from Zambia and I think it’s an issue that country for a positive trajectory
we apologize for any inconvenience.” to Asia in what it terms as the Central Bank should have is that we must have a positive
CNN suspected illicit financial been looking at in terms of trade balance but we seem to
be externalising more money
than we are generating. And

Mweetwa explains ZNS’ involvement

we have mentioned that one

C
By Philip Chisalu
HIEF Government of the factors that the central
Spokesperson bank must consider is that they
Cornelius Mweetwa must put exchange controls. It

in GMO mealie meal exportation to

says the Zambia National is the only way we are going to
Service (ZNS) has been mitigate this,” he said.
engaged in the exportation “At the moment, this is a free
of GMO mealie meal to DRC zone for everybody to be able to

because it is already in the
mealie meal business.
He was reacting to News
Diggers’ editorial of February
27, 2024 titled “When did
Zambia become a mealie meal
dealer, middleman for Congo?”
Mweetwa clarified that the
deal was not a government to
government transaction and that
Zambia buys the commodity
from private millers.
When asked in an
interview, Tuesday, if ZNS was
constitutionally mandated to
engage in private dealing of
perishable goods for sale to
foreign countries, Mweetwa
said no new mandate had been
created for ZNS, arguing that the
security wing was already in the
mealie meal business.
“First of all, it has to be
understood that the engagement
of ZNS, one, they are already
in the business of production
and sale of mealie meal so
there is nothing new that has
been created. It is just that
we are dealing with a matter
that is bordering on national
security. Food insecurity is
national insecurity hence the
Congo
involvement of ZNS in the issue
of mealie meal importation and
transit for the sake of ensuring
that this mealie meal does not
find itself on the local market.
So you use a government agency
which is already in the business
and industry. We haven’t created
ZNS to say now start getting
involved in mealie meal, no.
They produce maize and buy
maize from FRA and produce
mealie and other products such
as maize bran which they have
been exporting,” he said.
Mweetwa clarified that the
exportation of mealie meal was
not a government to government
transaction and that Zambia was
buying the commodity from
private millers.
“ZNS is buying from a
milling company in South
Africa as you know there is no
government that ordinarily
runs milling companies. Even
our milling companies that is
why you are seeing that there
are companies like Superior
Milling, it’s a company but
the government just owns
shareholding. So ZNS being
brought on board to allay these
millers is for the sake of order
and discipline in the shipment
of mealie meal from the South
African milling company to the
borders of the DRC and then
the mealie meal there is sold
to companies and entities that
want it. It’s not a government to
government transaction as far as
I know. The mealie meal is sold
and the rationale, we have been
explaining it, it’s to saturate the
market there so that we avoid
[them] coming to do a stampede
for our mealie meal,” Mweetwa
said.
Further asked who would
take the blame assuming
the GMO mealie meal ZNS
was exporting was toxic and
endangered people in Congo,
Mweetwa said the mealie meal
was subjected to health tests.
“Those questions are
good questions but if you
had participated in our tour,
such questions would not
arise, because you would
have known that actually, we
are transmitting life. I think
you just thought about those
questions and manufactured
an editorial. We were live to
show that when the mealie meal
comes, it’s not just mealie meal
that enters the country, no! All
the regulations that have to
do with importation of food
in Zambia and importation of
goods have to be followed. The
commodities that are brought in
have to be subjected to our rules
and regulations such as issues
to do with standards. Because
there is no one who can import
mealie meal whose efficacy and
suitability for consumption has
not been tested,” Mweetwa said.
“So even when the
mealie meal enters DRC, it is
considered that the mealie meal
will just enter without their
health authorities checking the
suitability. Of course, that is the
routine anywhere, so it’s not like
you just get mealie meal and
you go and dump it somewhere
in the DRC, no. First of all, at
source, the mealie meal has to be
certified that it is of such kind of
a quality”.
Mweetwa said ZNS was
using its own resources in the
transaction.
“Like I have indicated that
this is not per se government to
government, this is an entity and
ZNS has just been used for the
sake of discipline and order. Now,
the money which is used is ZNS
money from their own coffers,
the same way Eagles mealie meal
which you buy from Monze
milling, Eagles mealie meal, you
buy from Mpika milling, Eagles
mealie meal you buy from ZNS
Chongwe, the money they use
to buy such maize from FRA, it
is ZNS money from their own
coffers. They don’t just go to
FRA and collect maize and say
no ZNS you are now going to
mill this mealie meal and sell,
no they buy from FRA. It is
entity to entity interaction, it is
a business venture except that
ZNS has to put in a reasonable
mark-up not to kill the final
consumer as though they were
an ordinary business company,”
said Mweetwa
externalise their resources out of
the country. And at the moment,
as a country, we cannot afford to
be able to do this until we get to
a position where trade balance is
positive; we must put exchange
controls that will ensure that we
cannot continue externalising
funds to this extent”.
And Hambayi, who
acknowledged that the
introduction of the export
proceeds framework was
positive, said the challenge still
remained that some companies
could still externalise funds.
“The export tracking
framework, yes, it is positive but
it has to be able to at least provide
mitigation in terms of ensuring
that the resources that we are
generating as export revenue is
being booked into the financial
market in the country. But we
will still have a challenge around
the fact that the companies can
still externalise not just the
profit but also the turnover that
they are generating. Because the
export revenue just monitors
the inflow, it is not restricting
them in terms of the outflow,”
said Hambayi.
Wednesday March 6, 2024 www.diggers.news Local News .3

S The just-ended ward by-elections

By Mazombwe Banda
OCIALIST Party
Chairperson for Elections
Trymore Mwenda says the
just ended ward by-elections in
which UPND scooped four of

were marred with corruption – SP

the five seats were marred with
corruption because the ruling
party has continued with vote
buying.
And Socialist Party Deputy
General Secretary in-charge of
politics Antonio Mwanza says
government should cancel the
tax holidays given to mining
firms and offer them to local
SMEs instead.
UPND scooped four of
the five ward by-elections held
last week. The ruling party
won in Nakatambo Ward in
Chitambo, Buntungwa Ward
in Mufulira, Mumbotuta Ward
in Milenge and Itapa Ward in
Chinsali, while UPPZ scooped
the Mansha Ward by-election in
Kanchibiya District.
But speaking during a media
briefing, Monday, Mwenda
said the election outcome did
not reflect the situation on the
ground.
“We participated in four by-
elections: Mansha, Buntungwa,
Mumbotuta and Itapa. We did
not participate in Chitambo and
you know what happened on
the filing day of nominations.
Our candidate was not given
the clearance certificate by the
local council there. We did write
to ECZ and the response was
not favourable and we just had
to concentrate on the four by-
elections. When you look at the
just ended by-elections, Socialist
Party has done very well. SP
has been number two in almost
all the by-elections where we
participated. We want to thank
all the sympathisers that gave
us the support that we needed
during the by-elections,” he said.
“We came out number two
and the corrupt party, which is
the ruling party, the party for
Trymore Mwenda
they protect their integrity and and go but you have to maintain
people’s confidence because your integrity.”
as it stands, people will begin And Mwanza said
to doubt the integrity of the government should cancel the
ECZ. We have appealed to tax holidays given to mining
the ECZ before and we will firms and offer the tax breaks to
continue to appeal to them. local SMEs instead.
ECZ Chairperson Mwangala “This country is losing not
Zaloumis, you have got to less than $3 billion every year
protect your integrity madam. from the mining sector alone.
You have built your integrity for This is money that if we had
so many years. This job that you the government that cares, the
were just given must not destroy government that is serious,
what you built over the years. we could have mopped up
You have the authority to stamp and we could have used it to
out corruption during elections. subsidize fuel, electricity, water,
Do not fall into the hands of the land as these are the critical
politicians. Politicians will come components of production. It
has created poverty, joblessness
and created despair in the
people. This government must
cancel the tax holidays they
have given the mining firms
and give tax holidays to our
own local Small, Medium Scale
Enterprises because in our own
local business, everything they
produce and the money remains
in Zambia. It is helping to create
jobs, create wealth and alleviate
poverty,” he said.
“Solution number one,
the President cannot continue
with tax holidays that he has
given to multinationals, large
conglomerates that are making
billions of US Dollars, every
month [they] are given tax
holidays but you and I are
not given tax holidays. Media
houses covering us today, local
manufacturers, local processors,
producers or anything are not
given tax holidays, but foreigners
are given tax holidays. We advise
him to do that.”
He added that government
should also cancel the IMF deal
because its conditionalities were
worsening the cost of living.
“The IMF [deal] which ba
Sammy signed is going up to
2025, meaning the following:
mutengo wa fuel (fuel prices)
will continue going up,
electricity, transport, water and
everything will continue to go
up. Zambia has been in 13 IMF
deals to date and no IMF deal
has helped. We therefore appeal
to the conscience of President
Hichilema and call upon him
and the government to cancel
the IMF deal. The austerity
measures, conditionalities that
have been put, the structure
adjustment is squeezing the
people out of employment, out
of liquidity and it is worsening
the cost of living. Therefore,
there is no other solution but
for the government to cancel the
IMF deal, that’s solution number
two,” he said.
“The path which President
Hichilema has taken Zambia on
is irredeemable. This President
and government have sold this
country to the IMF. We have no
control over our economy, over
our land, over our policies. You
saw they are talking about the
Lobito corridor, if you go to the
Lobito corridor look at the share
structure, Zambia is providing
land, metals and minerals yet
we have zero equity share in the
Lobito corridor. The foreigners
are the ones that have taken that
project and they will go ahead,
make money and create jobs for
their country. We who provide
land, metals and minerals have
got zero.”
Meanwhile, Mwanza
urged government to liquidate
the local debt, among other
recommendations.
“Number three, they must
liquidate the local debt. If you
look at the local debt and it
has continued to go up from
the time that the UPND came
into office. By the way, they like
talking about PF contracting the
debt. In seven years, PF debt was
$12 billion, in two years ya ba
Sammy, the debt that Sammy and
his government have contracted
is $6.2 billion, in two years. So, if
you look at the rate that they are
moving of $3.1 billion per year,
in 2026 when Sammy is leaving
State House, no it’s not State
House, Community House, the
debt will be $15 billion in the
period of five years and no one
knows what he has done with
the $6.2 billion,” said Mwanza.
“Also, President Hichilema
and his government must revise
the VAT refund because we pay
too much money to mining
firms, money that we cannot
account for because we don’t
have the mechanism to know
how much money is being paid.
To remove VAT and excise duty
on all petroleum products, if
this is done, the cost of fuel
will automatically go down by
28 percent, this he must do.
This is advice we are giving to
them. If they don’t do this, the
hunger situation will worsen
but ultimately the solution to
the disaster of the UPND is
to remove the disaster. So, the
ultimate solution is to remove
Sammy in 2026. He is a disaster,
he has to be removed.”

Faith Musonda defends her assets, opposes forfeiture

President Hakainde Hichilema
came out number one. That does
not reflect the situation on the
ground because the UPND has
continued with vote buying,
the elections were marred
with violence. The UPND has
continued to intimidate citizens,
has continued using government
vehicles. Whichever by-election
that took place, wherever we
participated we had so many
GXs, Hilux vehicles and so forth
without number plates. Because
we know this system, we have
seen it before and they have
continued with this system.”
He, however, congratulated
the UPPZ for winning the by-
election in Mansha ward.
“We would like to
congratulate our colleagues the
UPPZ for having scooped the
by-election in Mansha ward.
I know what we went through
F
By Zondiwe Mbewe
AITH Musonda
has opposed to the
Anti-Corruption
Commission’s application to
have her properties forfeited
to the State, insisting that they
were legitimately acquired
and are not proceeds of crime.
And Musonda says the
assertion that she purchased
a property in Kingsland City
for US$180,000 is erroneous
and misleading because the
transaction was not formalised
due to financial constraints.
In November last year,
ACC applied to the Economic
and Financial Crimes Court,
High Court division, to have
several properties allegedly
belonging to Musonda forfeited
to the State.
The properties include; a
house situated in Kingsland
City, a farm in Chisamba
bought at K4.6 million, an Ibex
Hill property housing Covenant
Broadcasting Company and
Life Television, Government
Bonds worth K3.1 million
and Treasury Bills worth K1.1
million. Other properties
include; Jewels, farming
equipment, among others.
ACC Investigations Officer
Ferguson Kombe submitted
that Musonda was also either
a shareholder or director in six
other companies which include
Vintage Services, Rainbow
Promise Academy, GoldOre
Company Limited, Clear Icon
Media Consultants, Spick and
Span Laurromat Services and
OCK Investments Limited.
He cited Musonda, Sela
Property Investments Limited,
Covenant Broadcasting
Company and Life Television
Limited as interested parties.
But opposing to the affidavit
in support of originating notice
of motion, Musonda submitted
that ownership of the Kingsland
City property remained with
the seller as the sale was not
completed.
“Contrary to the complaint
received by Mr Kombe
alleging my ownership of plot
no. LUSAK/IN_24982/3 in
Kingsland City, Lusaka, I must
clarify that the assertion of
purchasing the property for
$180,000 is inaccurate. While
it is true that I initiated a
transaction for the acquisition
of this property, it is important
to note that the transaction was
not formalised due to financial
constraints. Consequently,
ownership of the property
remains with the seller as the
sale was not completed. That
the ongoing process to cancel
the transaction is indicative of
the fact that I failed to fulfill the
requirements for completing
the purchase.
Therefore, the assertion
that I purchased the property
for the stated amount is
erroneous and misleading,” she
stated.
Musonda stressed that
her financial standing was
commensurate with her lawful
earnings, adding that any
insinuations to the contrary
were unfounded.
“It is apparent that such
allegations are aimed at inflating
the perceived value of my assets
in an attempt to cast doubt on
the legitimacy of my personal
income. However, I maintain
that my financial standing is
commensurate with my lawful
earnings, and any insinuations
to the contrary are unfounded.

Veep’s press aide sues ex-army commander for trespass

in Mansha ward. Because of I have no knowledge of any
our performance as SP, we have properties hidden under
become the number one target. the names of Chimuka and
In all these by-elections, other Miyanda Milambo. It becomes

opposition political parties
enjoyed their space. But only
the SP. We were under pressure
because President Hichilema
has realised that the SP is a
threat to this government, to
the UPND and as a result, we
have earned ourselves number
one enemy which is the UPND.
So, wherever we participated,
we were being attacked and
they tried all sorts of tricks to
ensure that the SP was out of this
competition. We will continue to
participate in these by-elections
because that’s the only way we
can obtain state power in order
to put these things right in this
country,” said Mwenda.
“Going forward, we would
like to appeal to the ECZ that
they must do things right and
that they must ensure that
V
By Taonga Tembo
ICE-President Mutale
Nalumango’s Press Aide Njenje
Chizu and his wife have sued
the State and former Zambia Army
commander Paul Mihova, demanding
damages for trespass and the damage
caused to their household goods after a
team of soldiers attacked them at their
house in 2022.
Chizu, his wife Chimwemwe and their
child are also seeking damages for mental
torture, anguish and inconvenience.
The family has cited the Attorney
General and Mihova as first and second
defendants, respectively.
In a statement of claim filed in the
Lusaka High Court principal registry on
March 4, 2024, Chizu stated that General
Mihova allegedly commandeered a team of
Zambia Army soldiers which led siege on
his home and perpetrated an escapade of
assaults and batteries on November 20, 2022.
He narrated that after entering his family
house, the soldiers grabbed him and led him
to the bedroom-bathroom where they broke
the door while his wife was bathing.
Chizu stated that the soldiers later
ordered them to lie on the floor while
threatening to use lethal force against them.
“The second defendant was at the
material time the immediate former Zambia
Army commander driving his official Land
cruiser motor vehicle registration No.BAK
326… when he commandeered a team of
Zambia Army soldiers which led siege on the
plaintiffs’ home and perpetrated an escapade
of assaults and batteries on 20th November
2022. The armed soldiers illegally entered
their family house without any search
warrant, just cause, legal authority or at all.
The armed team of soldiers were menacingly
and terrifyingly pointing their loaded guns
and heavy assault rifles known as AK47 on
the plaintiffs,” stated Chizu. evident that the payments I
“The team of soldiers grabbed the endeavoured to make for the
first plaintiff and led him to the bedroom intended property purchase in
bathroom and broke the door thereto while Kingsland City were conducted
the second plaintiff was bathing naked in installments,” she stated.
therein. The team of soldiers interrupted “I raise significant
the second plaintiff ’s bath and ordered her questions as to how these
out of the bathroom and asked her to lie resources, accumulated over
down on the floor while in her naked state. a considerable period could
The team of soldiers ordered the plaintiffs suddenly be perceived as
to lie on the floor of their home and were proceeds of crime by the
threatening to use lethal force against the applicant, based on what
plaintiffs. The atrocities and malevolent acts appears to be a superficial
by the first defendant’s agents were witnessed investigation. The disparity
by the third plaintiff (a minor) who suffered between the thoroughness
nervous shock in the aftermath of the ordeal of my financial history and
orchestrated by the defendants herein. The the cursory nature of the
third plaintiff (child) to date exhibits signs inquiry conducted by the
of trauma and has constant nightmares applicant is indeed perplexing
and constant fears during the night and has and only employed to justify
been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress the purported reasonable
Disorder (P.T.S.D). suspicion”.
Continues on P10
4. Local News www.diggers.news Wednesday March 6, 2024

M God knew HH will handle Zambia’s

By Mwenya Mofya country.
INISTRY of “I have known many
Information and leaders in my life. I have worked
Media Permanent with presidents in my short life

problems well - Kawana

Secretary Thabo Kawana says
God saw it fit to allow Zambia
to experience the current
problems because President
Hakainde Hichilema is able to
handle them well.
And Kawana says his finger
must be cut off if the United
Kwacha Alliance (UKA) will
participate in the 2026 general
elections.
Speaking when he featured
on Prime TV’s Oxygen of
Democracy, Monday, Kawana
said President Hakainde
Hichilema and the UPND
government mean well for the
Thabo Kawana
but I can confirm to the people
of Zambia that this particular
President is passionate about
Zambia. I am yet to find a
man that is passionate and just
about his country as this man.
Therefore, we as a country
are blessed to have him as
President. In fact, we ought to
bless the day we elected him
as President. He is good not
only for our country, not only
for our generation but for the
generations to come. Sometimes
I look at the problems that
this country is facing, it’s one
hit after another. You come
from cholera, COVID. You
come from cholera, you get
into drought. I tell myself, my
goodness, all these things?
But something in me tells me
God saw all this coming but
he needed a right man in that
office because his people would
have really suffered,” he said.
“He put Hakainde there
and now we have the right man.
That’s why these problems are
even there because God knows
he will be able to handle them
well. I shudder to imagine
if it was that other person.
With just cholera, they’d have
stolen money. For them with
anything, they steal money.
For COVID, they stole money
and for cholera, they’d have
stolen money. So with this
drought, they’d have found a
way of going round the country
to check on drought and it’d
have cost K4 billion. But this
President means well for this
country. I want to urge the
people of Zambia to support
this government because it
means well”.
And Kawana said a former
president has no immunity for
an offence he commits after
leaving office.
“A president has got
immunity when he’s in office.
The things he does whilst in
office, he enjoys immunity.
So when he leaves office, that
immunity follows him. But if
I feel so pressed that what he
did was a crime, I can’t arrest
him. If I feel so pressed that this
matter must be dealt with, then
I must take that case before
Parliament. We want him to be
prosecuted, therefore can you
lift his immunity so that we
arrest him. Without lifting his
immunity before Parliament,
you can’t arrest him for
anything he did whilst he was
in office. However he has no
immunity for anything he does
after having left office, there’s
nothing. So if he commits
an offence now, whoever is a
former president, he will be
treated like any other citizen
and the law will be applied like
any other citizen. There’s no
immunity after you leave office,”
he said.
Kawana said his finger must
be cut off if the United Kwacha
Alliance (UKA) will participate
in the 2026 general elections.
“As we speak, many nations
in Africa are turning to Zambia
to try and find out how have
you managed to implement free
education. This is a beautiful
thing we’d want for our people.
But our opposition are saying
it’s not good. We’ll come get
rid of it. So tell me if we can
run with people that are always
looking for an opportunity to
shoot you down. Let them come
to the party, bring whatever
solution you feel is workable.
That’s the way countries run
in a normal democracy. But
ours is everyday they wake up,
Hakainde must resign. Others
have even gone to an extent ‘ah
the people must rise’. Rise to do
what? Because all you want is to
be in power,” he said.
“That’s why even this thing
you’re seeing so called ‘UKWA’,
or whatever it is, it can’t work.
You will cut my finger. This
thing is recording, you will
come and play this thing back
in 2026. You will cut my finger,
it won’t work because it is a
congregation of power hungry
people. All of them want to
be president. For example,
President Hakainde Hichilema
and the UPND Alliance are
voted out of office, do you think
any one of those people will
say ‘leave Kawana there, he is
a Permanent Secretary. He is a
civil servant, he is not part of
the political party?’ They will
say ‘start with that same person’.
So when we deal with these
issues, we ought to be realistic”.
And when asked to
comment on the Socialist
Party’s statement that the
UPND should consider
cancelling the IMF deal
because it’s adding more pain to
Zambians, Kawana argued that
there is no IMF deal in Zambia.
“You can’t cancel what
doesn’t exist. There’s no IMF deal
in Zambia. What is in Zambia
is a homegrown programme
for the Zambian government
supported by the IMF. So the
IMF didn’t prescribe anything
to the government of Zambia.
The government put up its own
plan. How it is going to face the
difficulties that we’re facing and
solicited the help of the IMF.
So there’s no IMF plan, there’s
a government plan supported
by IMF. So we can’t cancel our
own plan. We are moving. It is
hurting, it has to hurt because it
is a sore. When you’re treating
a sore, it will hurt but it will
heal when you’re doing the
right thing. This has to hurt.
We got money from people that

HH not to blame for drought – Stardy

we failed to pay back. Those

F
By Angela Muchinshi
ORMER ministry of
defence permanent
secretary Stardy Mwale
says people should not blame
President Hakainde Hichilema
for the drought.
And Mwale says government
should consider disbanding the
Water Resources Management
Authority (WARMA) and put
up an institution that would
curb deforestation.
Following President
Hakainde Hichilema’s
declaration that drought is now a
national disaster and emergency,
some members of the opposition
blamed the Head of State for the
crisis.
The Patriotic Front used
social media to remind President
Hichilema of how he castigated
former president Edgar Lungu’s
government during tough
economic times.
But in an interview, Sunday,
Mwale argued that just because
the PF were blamed when
things were not going well in
the country doesn’t mean HH
should be treated the same.
“Just because somebody
tried to remove my eye, then
I should also remove their eye
because you wanted to remove
my eye? I don’t think this is
how Zambians should stay. Let
bygones be bygones. Zambians
God should help us to come out
of this hunger situation in the
country. This drought situation
should not be blamed on anyone.
It’s just something that has come,
it just requires good preparation,
we should have just prepared to
have enough stocks of maize,
and going forward we need not
to disturb our food security in
the country. We should make
sure to have some certain levels
of stocks in the country all the
time, and that should not be
tampered with, only in situations
like this. However I don’t agree
in blaming anybody for this”.
Mwale said given an
opportunity he would give
advice to government on the
matter.
“We are crying, it’s not
a good thing, we are praying
to God to see how he will get
us through because what has
happened is a calamity for
everybody away from politics.
This is something that will
affect even people who don’t
vote like Jehovah’s Witnesses.
We know how we made it work
with the defence forces, we
know. So given an opportunity
we can advise. So I don’t agree
with blaming anybody with
who actually borrowed should
be grateful that you have a
government finding solutions
to talk to people they borrowed
unbeatable. WARMA is charging block. They should be flexible We just need to come together,
from and asking for a plan to
too much for using water from in even squashing the many work together and see to it that
pay back. We’re not asking for
any river and they are giving penalties they have slapped on we grow winter maize away from
debt cancellation, we’re asking
heavy penalties. Because now many farmers in the country. politics”.
for debt restructuring,” he said.
the President spoke about
Kawana said UPND
using irrigation so farmers were
government’s performance will
wondering how WARMA would
only be judged after five years.
handle that because the way they
“They spent 10 years
are charging is too high and they
creating these problems. So
are taking a long time to give
after spending 10 years creating
a go ahead. And when you’ve
these problems, Zambians gave
started, when they come, they
us an opportunity to fix the
just give you heavy penalties, so
problems in five years. And
that’s not helping the President’s
we’ve taken the mantle and
call,” Mwale said.
we’re fixing the problems. After
“WARMA can give you
five years, Zambians will say
a penalty of even K150,000
we gave you to correct these
or K250,000 for using water
problems in five years, how
without a permit. And if you
far are you?’ It’s at that point
don’t do it you find yourself in
Zambians will say maybe you’ve
prison. So people are so scared.
failed, step aside or maybe
But they take long to give you
they’ll say so far so good we still
papers. If anything even scraping
need you to do a bit more. So
it off would even be better”.
the time frame is five years. We
He said it was better to
will talk at the 2026 elections,”
disband WARMA and put up Stardy Mwale said Kawana.
an institution that would ensure
that there was no deforestation.
“We should be putting
more resources in stopping
deforestation, if there’s an
Zambia’s economy would crash if we
organization that can come
and replace WARMA because
it’s deforestation that’s causing
stopped exporting power - Zesco
this drought. If they ban

should learn to forgive each
other. Because I was blamed
then I should blame somebody,
no! If anything we need to
put our heads together and
think together for Zambia. I
don’t agree in quarrelling with
whoever is there just because I
was insulted or I was quarreled
no. This time around people
should come together and offer
advice. But that depends on who
receives that advice, if one can
receive it, some of us are ready
to offer advice,” Mwale said.
“Personally, this should
not be a blame game thing, it
should be something that no
one should be responsible for
or people should say it’s this
one or that one. This thing has
come and what we need to do is
work together and see to it that
the situation that we are going
through, I don’t agree with such
politics. For the droughts I don’t
blame anyone, for the stocks that
we had, next time we should
do better on knowing that this
time we can have any calamity
that is food security. We should
secure it nicely, protect it nicely
from weevils and other things,
and only to be used in times like
this,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mwale appealed
to government to engage
WARMA to stop overcharging
people who were using water
from the rivers for irrigation.
“We are just appealing to
the government to speak to
WARMA to stop overcharging
people who are trying to make
their fields survive because
the charges from WARMA are
charcoal like Tanzania let them
ban it. WARMA has a lot of
power destabilizing farmers
everywhere. It’s better we
disband WARMA and bring
something that will ensure that
no cutting of trees, no charcoal
burning. It will answer the call
of the President to use irrigation.
WARMA is not doing good to
the people, it’s actually fighting
the President,” said Mwale.
“We are appealing to His
Excellency to actually put
WARMA to understand that
the only way to suppress this
drought is by them being
flexible by allowing people to
be accessing water from the
rivers and do irrigation so that
the winter maize issue can be
attainable. Currently WARMA
is standing in as a stumbling
Z
By Barnabas Zulu
ESCO Managing Director Victor Mapani
says even if the country is anticipated
to experience load shedding due to
drought, the company cannot stop exporting
power because doing so would collapse the
country’s economy.
Meanwhile, Mapani says Zambia Sugar is
among the many industrial entities that have
been upgraded to the power purchase agreement,
which provides a better deal than using retail
tariffs.
Speaking during the signing ceremonies of
the power purchase agreement between Zesco and
Zambia Sugar, Tuesday, Mapani said power export
contributes 40 percent to Zesco’s revenue and if it
is stopped then the company will shutdown.
“How much power are we are exporting? We
export under 28 percent of the power. And 28
percent of the power gives you over 40 percent of
the revenue. So, if we remove that, you basically
crash the economy. We can’t do without it. If
you do without it, even Zesco stops functioning.
1.3 million customers only contribute under
33 percent of the revenue. So, you can imagine,
where is that 67 percent of the revenue coming
from? It’s exports and industries, it’s that simple,”
he said.
He said load shedding was the only option
for Zambia and there is nothing Zesco can do to
prevent it.
“Load shedding is one of the mitigating
factors on the drought. The drought is obvious,
there is nothing we can do about it. There isn’t
enough water and we generate about 86 percent
of our energy from water. And so if there is no
water, there is no power. So, the options are
many. We have to do load management and load
shedding, we have to do that. We have to import
power to cushion. We may not be able to import
all the power because some of the power is very
expensive. So we can only import the power that
we can afford to pay for.
Continues on P11
Wednesday March 6, 2024
L
By Mwiche Nalwimba
OCAL Government
and Rural Development
Minister Gary Nkombo
says it is dignifying to be
voted out of office for doing
the right thing.
And Nkombo has
condemned some marketeer
for saying only cows will
vote for President Hakainde
Hichilema.
At a media briefing,
Tuesday, Nkombo stressed the
importance of government’s
move to demolish the makeshift
market.
“…I want to end by saying
on my own behalf, that it is
dignifying to be voted out of
office for doing the right thing.
There is no humiliation, no
embarrassment, no degradation
of feelings if you are voted out
for doing the right thing. We
had to do this and it should
not be a matter of votes where
people have become derogatory
especially to the Head of State
that cows will vote, cows
don’t vote. This is opposition
language. It doesn’t bring
value. We all know that cows
don’t vote. It is derogatory, it is
demeaning, when you moot an
idea which is good as the PF did
Gary Nkombo
HH should temporarily remove Muchende
should ACC decide to investigate him – TIZ
T
By Mwenya Mofya
R A N S PA R E N C Y
International Zambia
(TIZ) says President
Hakainde Hichilema
should temporarily remove
Solicitor General Marshal
Muchende SC from office
should the Anti-Corruption
Commission decide to
investigate the complaint of
abuse of authority against
him.
Lusaka lawyer Frank
Gwaba has reported Muchende
to ACC for abuse of authority
after the duo differed over
commission in a Ministry
of Health medical supply
contract.
But Muchende lodged
a complaint of professional
misconduct against Gwaba to
the Law Association of Zambia
(LAZ) Legal Practitioners’
Committee.
Gwaba claims that State
Counsel Muchende assigned
him to represent a Ministry
of Health supplier whom the
government was owing US$5.5
million, on the basis that the
company would then pay 10
Being voted out for doing the right thing
is dignifying – Nkombo
and your friends implement it,
then you start talking about
cows, how? I want to be clear
that cows have never voted,
they don’t vote, they will never
vote,” Nkombo said.
“It is people who vote, but
also, it is people who are alive
who vote because dead ones
do not and we can’t keep our
people being threatened of
waterborne diseases for lack
of sanitary facilities. Typhoid,
dysentery, Cholera, all those
diseases that are demeaning
to human beings. So, given
a choice, would we rather
continue battling with Cholera
everyday or should we fix this
problem once and for all? And
I think the latter is what makes
sense. The politicians that were
there before, much as they
knew what the right thing to do,
they shied away, why? Because
they were scared of voters, all
that notwithstanding, maybe
we do not understand in full
the desires of the same voters
because if they were scared of
voters and they left that clutter
of Munyaule market, still they
per cent commission upon
being cleared by the Treasury.
He further claims that
after taking the assignment,
the Ministry of Health agreed
owing the company US$2.4
million but, to his surprise,
it instead paid the amount
directly into the account of
Maba Medicals Limited, the
company which he had helped
to push for payment, a move
he believes was orchestrated by
the Solicitor General.
Commenting on this
development in an interview,
TIZ Executive Director
Maurice Nyambe said the
accusations and counter
accusations were worrying
and had the potential to cast
a shadow on the office of the
Solicitor General.
“The accusations and
counter accusations are very
worrying and have the potential
to cast a shadow on the office
of the Solicitor General. Any
indication that the Solicitor
General has engaged in
inappropriate behaviour of
any sort as is being alleged
must not be taken lightly and
are still not in office”.
Nkombo said the
government was alive to the
fact that inconveniences could
not be avoided, but alternative
trading places were provided
for marketeers.
“We are alive to the fact
that inconvenience will not
be avoided but it has been
mitigated by the fact that we
found alternative places for
them to trade where a few have
Govt tasks ZNS to start preparations
for irrigated maize
D
By Angela Muchinshi
EFENCE Minister
Ambrose Lufuma
has tasked the
Zambia National Service
(ZNS) to immediately start
preparations for irrigated
maize in all farms that have
centre pivots irrigation
equipment.
And ZNS Commander
Lt. Gen Maliti Solochi says
the defence wing will plant
1, 978 hectares of irrigated
maize by the end of July this
year with a projected yield of
about 15,000 metric tonnes
of maize grain by the end of
2024 third quarter.
Addressing the media on
the President’s declaration of
drought as a national disaster
and emergency, Tuesday,
Lufuma also directed the
Zambia Air Force and
Zambia Army to utilise water
sources within and around
their Copperbelt and North
Western province-based
farms to engage in irrigated
maize production through
drip irrigation.
“We are all aware that
on Wednesday last week,
the President declared the
drought situation in our
country a national disaster
and emergency. This pressing
and grave national challenge
should inevitably summon all
of us in the nation to action.
we welcome the reporting of
this allegation to the Anti-
Corruption Commission. It
is our considered view that
should the ACC decide to
investigate the matter and we
see no reason why they should
not, then it will be necessary
for the President to exercise
his powers under Article
179 (4) of the Constitution
to temporarily remove the
Solicitor General from office
in order to pave way for an
unhindered investigation to
happen,” he said.
“Based on the outcome of
the investigation, the Solicitor
General can then be reinstated
or otherwise. We are of the view
that the tendency by senior
government officials who
may be under investigation to
remain in office is a bad practice
and one that has the potential
to undermine the work of law
enforcement agencies. We
therefore reiterate that should
an investigation be opened
against the Solicitor General,
the President should act swiftly
to temporarily remove the SG
from office until the conclusion
www.diggers. news
resisted as they resisted back
in 2017. To accommodate the
affected traders, the council
has taken the following steps:
the council has secured
space behind BH and New
Soweto markets for traders to
temporarily conduct business
Particularly, the Commander-
In-Chief directed the defence
force to play a crucial role
in mitigating the effects of
this national calamity, both
in short and long term. You
may wish to note that the
revised 2016 Republican
Constitution has provided for
the conduct and operation of
the military, in article 192
sub article 2c as follows: ‘the
defence force shall cooperate
with state organs and state
institutions in times of public
emergencies and national
disasters’, end of quote,”
Lufuma said.
“You may also recall
that among the many
measures the Republican
President outlined in his
address include an aspect of
leveraging Zambia’s defence
forces to expand irrigation
schemes as a way to increase
food production. As minister
of defence, therefore, I will
ensure that the presidential
directive is implemented, and
I hereby task the three defence
wings in the short term as
follows: Zambia National
Service to immediately start
preparations for irrigated
maize in all the farms that
have center pivot irrigation
equipment. Zambia Army
and Zambia Air Force to
utilize water sources within
and around their Copperbelt
of the investigation”.
Nyambe said any failure
by law enforcement agencies
to take interest in the
matter would send a wrong
message that there was no
real commitment in the fight
against corruption.
“Law enforcement agencies
should take interest because
it involves a constitutional
office holder who is also a high
ranking government official.
Any failure or reluctance by
law enforcement agencies
to look into this matter will
send a wrong message that
there is no real commitment
in the fight against corruption
or the promotion of good
governance. We also wish
to highlight that Zambia’s
recent improvement on the
Corruption Perceptions Index
was due in part to the efforts
that have been made in dealing
with cases of corruption,
and any failure to keep this
momentum going could see us
start sliding back in terms of
our performance on the CPI
and other governance indices,”
said Nyambe.
as they await the completion
of the modern market at
Munyaule. Some traders have
already been accommodated
along Lumumba Road just
before the main Lumumba
market and 120 were taken to
City Market. Once the modern
and North Western province-
based farms to engage in
irrigated maize production
through drip irrigation. The
ministry will leverage on the
expertise of Zambia National
Service in agricultural
production through the
provision of technical and
mechanical support to the
two sister services”.
He urged the security
wings to intensify anti-
smuggling operations
to ensure that available
mealie meal stocks were not
smuggled.
“Intensify anti-
smuggling operation efforts
countrywide to ensure the
locally available stocks are
not smuggled. ZNS to ensure
streamlined distribution
of its eagles mealie meal
and also continue forging
partnerships with more
private millers to ensure
every corner of our country
is supplied with fairly priced
staple commodities. Let me
also take this opportunity
to sound a stern warning
to unscrupulous traders
in the habit of inflating
prices of eagles mealie meal
beyond the government-
prescribed rate, that they risk
being blacklisted and their
consignment forfeited to the
state,” Lufuma said.
“In similar vein, the
Commander-In-Chief has
repeatedly directed that
all defence wings should,
in peace times, engage in
productive and economic
ventures to not only
supplement on funding
coming from the treasury, but
also to make a contribution
to the meaningful growth
of our country’s gross
domestic product (GDP).
The President’s vision
has always been to have a
defence force that is not
consumption-oriented but
one that contributes to
resource-generation. Besides,
as guardians of national
security and well-being; it is
incumbent upon us, to heed
the directive to contribute
towards mitigation efforts
of the drought disaster
and national emergency
with utmost diligence and
commitment as food security
is a matter of national
security”.
Lufuma implored all the
defence wings to quickly craft
robust irrigation strategies
for the ministry to lobby for
funding.
He disclosed that he had
also constituted a drought
disaster and emergency
response team to be chaired
Local News .5
market is done at Munyaule,
priority will be given to the
evicted traders. To normalise
this, Kaddoura has already
given offer letters to the same
traders to avoid confusion
when that time comes,” he said.
Continues on P6
by the permanent secretary
with members to be drawn
from all three services.
“Considering that the
President categorically
indicated that the 2024
budget will be re-aligned
to effectively respond to
the disaster and national
emergency, I wish to
implore all the defence
wings to quickly craft robust
irrigation strategies for
the ministry to lobby for
funding. To coordinate the
speedy actualization of the
C o m m a n d e r - I n - C h i e f ’s
directive, I have decided to
constitute a drought disaster
and emergency response
team to be chaired by the
permanent secretary with
members to be drawn from all
the three services. I therefore,
expect total cooperation
from the defence wings,” said
Lufuma.
And commenting on
the stolen 212 bags of GMO
mealie meal meant for
export to DRC, Lufuma
said investigations were still
underway.
Meanwhile, Gen Solochi
said ZNS would plant 1, 978
hectares of irrigated maize by
the end of July this year.
He said the service had
also suspended the growing
of wheat to commit all its
irrigation tools to growing
maize.
“We heed the timely
directives by the minister
and make the following
undertakings: ZNS will soon
commence field preparations
which will see the service
gradually replace the Soya
beans crops currently under
our irrigation equipment
with maize. We are going
to put up 1, 978 hectares of
irrigated maize by the end of
July this year with a projected
yield of about 15,000 metric
tonnes of maize grain by
the end of the third quarter
of this year,” said Lt. Gen
Solochi.
“We have suspended the
growing of wheat this year
to commit our irrigation
equipment and more cleared
land to the growing of maize.
To enhance our contribution
to the national food basket
going forward, we intend
to extend production to
Shikabeta and Kawambwa
this winter, areas that
have never been used for
production by ZNS before.
We are equally in the process
of adding four more pivots to
our current 22 centre pivot
irrigation equipment by the
end of this month to bring
them to 26”.
6. Local News www.diggers.news Wednesday March 6, 2024

From P5
“And so even as we make
comments especially those
who want to use the vote for
perpetuating wrong things, my
advice to Chishala Kateka is first
consult. you can’t lead people
who are living in environmental
danger, it is not the right thing
to do and maybe this is what
provides the difference between
the leadership then and the
leadership now that whilst
votes matter, we must strike
that compromise and align
everybody to legalities”.
Nkombo wondered why
the Edgar Lungu-led PF faction
secretary general condemned
the UPND government for
completing the plan which PF
Being voted out for doing the right thing is dignifying – Nkombo
Minute Number C/23/06/19. have said with the same traders. under their own volition and the Urban and Regional now and it is a move that will
Following that resolution, a We’ve had engagements, several based on the discussions we had Planning Act No. 3 of 2015. In happen with full consultation
15-year lease agreement was engagements over a period of here,” he said. the wake of Cholera and the of those who are affected. The
entered into between the Lusaka one years plus and there could He said the traders were need to address the sanitary measure is meant to prevent
City Council and Kaddoura not be a 100 percent buy-in but adequately notified and they facilities for the traders, the outbreaks of various diseases in
Construction Limited, a we were sufficiently satisfied that were supposed to relocate by move to relocate the traders the future,” said Nkombo.
privately-owned company to after providing an alternative February 29, 2024. from Munyaule market to pave “This is one of the projects
construct a modern market,” he trading place around Soweto “The latest notice was the way for the construction of a the colleagues from the PF
said. market, the contractor went issued on 17th January, 2024 modern market aims to enhance initiated, which the new
Nkombo dispelled some and prepared the ground in the notifying the traders of the the market’s infrastructure and dawn Government wants to
opposition sentiments that area near BH market and those need to relocate to designated create a more conducive trading carry forward given the need
consultations were not done who were in the buy-in moved trading places by 29th February, environment for traders and to provide a safe and clean
before demolishing the market. on their own. They shifted on 2024. Unfortunately, despite shoppers alike. And it should environment for our traders and
“I want to dispel the fact their own and evidence is there, the council’s clear instructions, be understood that this move to the correct number of affected
that there was no consultation if we go there now, we’ll find some traders decided not to sanitise the living conditions is traders is 920 and not 4,000
as some political commentators that many of the traders shifted vacate the area, which violated a move we do not intend to stop reported in the press”.

RTSA no longer uncompromising,

began.
“The Secretary General of
the PF faction Mr Nakacinda
has no moral platform
whatsoever to make a comment
about this exercise because

notes Tayali
among the things PF did right,

it was to sign this contract to
sanitise Munyaule Market, this
was a brainchild of PF. Why
then would it be logical for the
same PF now to come and say
don’t do what we planned to
do? In 2019, the Lusaka City
Council resolved to lease out the
Munyaule market during a full
council meeting held on 28th
June, 2019, as recorded under
T
By Nakaonga Nakaonga
RANSPORT and
Logistics Minister
Frank Tayali says the
Road Transport and Safety
Agency has dropped its guard
in strictly enforcing road
safety rules.
Speaking during the launch
of the Fleet Safety Management
Policy (FSMP) in Lusaka,
Monday, Tayali said RTSA had
allowed rules and regulations to
be flaunted with impunity.
“Under the New Dawn
government, we are not here to
simply warm the seats that we
occupy, we would like to bring
real change to our country. If
there is a body called RTSA
that was established to be able
to help us in the establishment
of road safety, it simply means
that RTSA did drop their guard,
“In fact, we shall be getting
operators to be certified
depending on your levels of
compliance. It will not be a
blanket lifting of the ban, it will
be specific to those that will
comply to what we are trying
to achieve as a government
through the Road Transport and
Safety Agency. Hence, indeed
that time has come that we must
all play our part to improving
the country’s road safety profile
Fleet Safety Management Policy.
“Fleet Safety Management
Policy is a crucial initiative
aimed at ensuring the safety and
security of our roads thereby
enhancing Zambia’s road safety
profile. The alarming statistics
of road accidents in our country
the RTSA Training Centre
which he said would not only
save government a lot of money
in conference facility expenses,
but that would also provide a
conduit for capacity building for
members of staff.
And speaking to journalists,

We’ve not investigated

they have allowed that rules and that we must get back to demand urgent and concerted Tayali urged citizens not to
and regulations be flaunted business”. action. Accident statistics show pay attention to doomsayers
with impunity. When RTSA Tayali said accidents that 90 per cent of road traffic who were saying there was no

purported ethnic
was first established, everybody affected the growth of tourism crashes are due to human errors. progress from the Zambian side
knew that there is a big brother in the country. Road traffic crashes, injuries on the Lobito corridor project.
called RTSA, artistes were even “A lot of things get affected and fatalities have become a “As a people, let us learn to

cleansing in civil
singing about RTSA, mutima
waba RTSA (RTSA’s hard
heart) Umutima waba RTSA
owing to rampant accidents public health and development put things in perceptive, this is
in the road transport sector. problem in Zambia,” he said. a monumental infrastructure
Tourism will be affected because “The introduction of the development project that
Fleet Safety Management Policy will not happen overnight.

service – Sokoni
was uncompromising, when
you met RTSA, there was no
compromising, no paying
bribes, all flimsy excuses that
drivers would use on the roads
nationals in developed worlds
are advising their nationals
where to go to if they are to
enjoy a safe trip to a tourist
destination. If people are dying
through the Road Traffic Act Already, what has happened?
is one of the initiatives the Zambia signing the agreement
government through the Road joining Angola and DRC,
Transport and Safety Agency that is a positive milestone.

P
By Philip Chisalu for flaunting the rules would not everywhere, tourists will be (RTSA) has undertaken to Very recently, we saw the U.S
UBLIC Protector Caroline Sokoni has refuted media be tolerated. So, RTSA, come advised that if you go to this reduce the number of road government sponsor a business
reports that her office conducted investigations in the civil back to the party, something destination, please be careful fatalities and injuries that have forum at Ciela Resort where
service bordering on discrimination on the basis of tribe must change,” he said. how you move because this continued to plague our country. 250 business people come to
or purported ethnic cleansing. Tayali said he was looking country is known for rampant This document is not merely a Zambia basically to be able
Sokoni says the institution is, however, currently investigating forward to lifting the night road traffic accidents,” he said. document, it is a commitment to sell the holistic project. So
the indefinite placement of some civil servants and public officials travel ban but that would only “Previously in our country, to safeguarding the lives of these are matters that are, as
on holding at the Public Service Management Division (PSMD). be possible when compliance we used to have rampant our citizens, protecting our a matter of fact, we think are
In a statement issued by Office of the Public Protector, Tuesday, to safety rules among operators accidents particularly with environment, and enhancing moving quite fast even beyond
Sokoni clarified that the institution had not received any complaint and drivers were observed. tanker drivers. We don’t hear the efficiency of our transport our expectation…what will
nor had it initiated any investigation on discrimination on the basis “We would like to about tankers being involved networks”. Zambia be benefiting from if
of tribe in the civil service. supplement government efforts. in accidents anymore and Tayali said government we do not actualise the Lobito
“The Public Protector Mrs Caroline Sokoni wishes to inform Let us aim to hopefully attain a one begs the question; what would collect data on drivers’ Zambia rail? Forget what the
the nation that the statement published in some sections of the 24/7 economy by allowing our is it that has happened in that behaviour weekly. naysayers are saying, they are
media alleging that the Office of the Public Protector conducted people that trade to be able to particular sector that has caused “The implementation of this actually very disappointed that
investigations in the civil service bordering on discrimination jump on a bus in Kitwe at night this drastic improvement in Policy will improve the national this administration in this short
on the basis of tribe or purported ethnic cleansing is untrue. and arrive in Nakonde in the the safety of transportation of road safety profile by minimising time that we have been in office
Mrs Sokoni has clarified that the institution has not received any morning, do their business, buy petroleum products? It’s because road crashes and subsequently are attracting such gigantic
complaint nor has it initiated any investigation on discrimination their merchandise and board the petroleum companies have reducing the risk of fatalities infrastructure projects,” said
on the basis of tribe in the civil service. Therefore, the published another bus in the evening and put up policies of what sort and injuries involving PSVs Tayali.
statement that the office of the public protector conducted a probe be back in Kitwe the following of standards participants in on our roads. Going forward, Meanwhile, RTSA Board
and its investigations revealed that there is ethnic cleansing in the morning. I look forward to a the haulage sector must have, the government will enhance Chairperson Engineer Allen
civil service is false and irresponsible and should not be entertained time when I shall lift the night adherence to strict driver the implementation of GPS Mate, who attributed majority
by any well-meaning citizen.’I would like to assure members of the travel ban, we will not do that if management, adherence to strict management systems by the of road fatalities to driver error,
public and other concerned stakeholders that no report of such we don’t prepare the sector as to vehicle standards has caused us collection of weekly data on said it was unacceptable for
a nature exists at the office of public protector and the allegation what it is that will be expected to forget about accidents in that drivers’ behaviour. The idea drivers to be merchants of death.
should be treated with the contempt it deserves,” the statement read. for the operators and drivers particular sector”. behind this new arrangement is “On average in the last
“The Ombudsman has revealed that what the institution is to do in order for us to achieve Tayali disclosed that to monitor and take appropriate seven years, over 31,800 fatal
currently investigating is the indefinite placement of some civil that. So, this fleet management accident statistics showed measures on non-compliant road accidents, and an average
servants and public officials on holding at the Public Service system that we are launching is that 90 per cent of road traffic drivers who are at the centre of of 1,950 people died on our
Management Division (PSMD). This is in contravention of cabinet a precursor to that time,” Tayali crashes were due to human the implementation of the Fleet road and 87 per cent of those
circular number two (2) of 2022 titled measures to improve said. error, hence the launch of the Safety Management Policy,” he deaths were due to driver
programme implementation and service delivery in public service said. error. This is unacceptable
which prohibits surrendering of officers by heads of ministries and “These measures require as we are not supposed to be
public institutions.” serious preparations by all merchants of death. The Fleet
Sokoni assured members of the public and other stakeholders commercial operators to Safety Management Status for
that the findings of the investigations would be made public once undergo the process of fleet 2023 indicates that the country
concluded. risk screening, vetting and recorded the highest number
Sokoni stated that the institution had laid down communication benchmarking to meet the safe of infringements in the month
procedures from the time it commences an investigation to the scores set by the RTSA. Allow of February involving PSV
point it produces the final report. me to also remind all transport drivers at 331. During the same
“The public protector has explained that the office of the operators that premised on this, period, 32 PSV driving licenses
public protector has laid down communication procedures from going forward, all commercial were revoked for various
the time it commences an investigation to the point it produces bus operators shall be required infringements. The Global
the final report. Members of the public would wish to know that to develop and implement fleet Positioning System (GPS) data
the public protector only makes the findings of any investigation safety management policies for 2023 also reveals that among
public once affected parties have been notified of the final findings. within their institutions in the the leading top 10 offenders, the
She has also urged the media to be ethical and verify information next six months. It is expected highest operator was flagged
with concerned parties before disseminating it to the public as it has that every operator will abide by 103 times while the lowest was
the potential to adversely affect the public perception and threaten what the law stipulates within flagged 38 times for driving
national security,” read the statement. that timeframe”. above the stipulated speed
Frank Tayali The Minister also launched limits,” said Mate.
Wednesday March 6, 2024
H We’ve recorded 3,292 confirmed Covid
By Ulande Nkomesha
EALTH Minister
Sylvia Masebo says
nine people have
succumbed to COVID-19
since December 2023.
And Masebo has revealed
that about 137 learners tested
positive for COVID-19 at Kapiri
Mposhi Girls Technical School,
Chisamba Boarding School and
Nchelenge Secondary School,
but are all now stable.
Giving a Ministerial
Statement in the National
Assembly, Tuesday, Masebo said
the country had seen a steady
rise in the number of positive
COVID-19 cases, with 3,292
cases having been confirmed.
“Through our routine
COVID-19 surveillance system,
the country has seen a steady
rise in the number of positive
cases of COVID-19 beginning
the last week of December, 2023.
There has been an increase in
COVID-19 positivity in the
initial weeks of the year, with a
total number of suspected cases
captured at 17,860 with 3,292
(18.4 percent) cases having been
confirmed. Copperbelt Province
has recorded the highest
number of cases with 1,262
cases confirmed out of 5,850
tests conducted. This reflects
a 21.6 positivity rate. However
in the 7th week of 2024, the
positivity rate fell to 16 percent.
The hotspot districts have been
Chingola, Chililabombwe and
Mufulira. Lusaka has also been
another hotspot,’’ she said.
She said all the nine
individuals who had died of
COVID-19 were not vaccinated.
“I regret to report that
in this same period, we have
recorded nine deaths. Six were
COVID-19 related deaths and
three were COVID-19 deaths.
The deaths have been in Lusaka,
Mansa, Chingola and Mbala.
All these individuals were not
vaccinated against COVID-19,’’
Masebo said.
And Masebo said a total
of 137 learners tested positive
for COVID-19 at Kapiri
Mposhi Girls Technical School,
Chisamba Boarding School in
Central Province and Nchelenge
Secondary School in Luapula
Province.
She assured that all the
learners were stable.
“I am also here today
to address the recent rise in
COVID-19 cases at Kapiri
Mposhi Girls Technical
School, Chisamba Boarding
School in Central Province,
and Nchelenge Secondary
School in Luapula Province.
As of today, 5th March, 2024,
a total of 137 learners have
Daily Rates
Bank of Zambia
Daily ZMW/USD Exchange Rates :
Time Buying
23.7922
09:30hrs
12:30hrs 23.8263 23.8763
15:30hrs 23.8450
Average Exchange Rates : 5-3-2024
Currency Buying
USD 23.8211
GBR 30.2076 30.2829
EUR 25.8388 25.9026
ZAR 1.2546
cases, 9 deaths since Dec – Masebo
tested positive for COVID-19
in these three schools. Sixty
four were at Kapiri Mposhi
Girls Technical School and 59
at Chisamba Boarding School.
It is important to note that
12 students at Kapiri Mposhi
and 22 students at Chisamba
Boarding had previously been
vaccinated. Two students from
Kapiri Mposhi Girls Secondary
school had been admitted but
have since been discharged. A
similar cluster of 14 COVID-19
cases was observed at Nchelenge
Secondary School between
the 22nd and 27th February
2024. I want to assure you that
currently all the learners are
stable,’’ Masebo said.
The health minister,
however, said the country had
Mining sector has experienced stability
in the past 2yrs – Chamber of Mines
Z
By Chamuka Shalubala
AMBIA Chamber of
Mines Chief Executive
Officer Sokwani
Chilembo says the mining
sector has experienced some
stability in the last two years.
Speaking when he featured
on ZNBC’s ‘Sunday Interview’,
Chilembo said the past two
years had resulted in $5 billion
commitment pledges.
“We have had two years
of stability and two years of
stability has yielded $5 billion
in commitments from players
who are already here. I think
that in just over two years [that]
is quite the achievement. It is a
pace we must maintain which we
can only do by maintaining the
stability. If we remain stable, then
every year we should be seeing
$200 million in exploration
capital coming in. Every year
we need to see a billion, a billion
and a half coming in. We need to
open a new Kalumbila every year
and probably find something
to a large asset announced in
Chililabombwe every two or
three years for the next 15 years
if we are to attain three million
tonnes,” he said.
Chilembo said developments
in the mining sector showed that
5-3-2024
Selling
23.8422
23.8950
Selling
23.8711
1.2580
www.diggers. news
not reached a stage to institute
strict public health and social
measures.
“Government through the
Ministry of Health has taken the
following steps to control the
situation: increased surveillance
in all schools; isolating infected
students in designated spaces;
providing health education
on COVID-19 prevention
measures; obtaining parental
consent to vaccinate learners;
supplying schools with materials
to control the spread of the virus.
We have not reached the stage
to institute strict public health
and social measures. However,
we encourage persons with
vulnerabilities to get vaccinated;
wear masks when in crowded
places; continuously maintain
confidence was restored.
“Certainly, we have taken
control of the narrative which is
what needed to happen where we
have restored confidence in the
country by projecting stability.
This is what differentiated us at
the mining Indaba to the extent
where we had a very strong
share of voice and we were on
top of mind in any discussion at
that forum. The idea is that this
should translate into us being
top of mind in the market as
well as a primary destination
for exploration capital and
investment capital in mining for
us to sustain the three million
tonnes goal in a reasonable
timeframe,” he said.
“One of the key discussions
at the Indaba was around
disruption because if you look
around the world today, there is
so much disruption happening
on so many fronts: war,
geopolitical instability, supply
chains being challenged. It was
described basically as a storm. In
a storm, what you have is poor
visibility. What does stand out
in a storm however is stability.
When you have that clear sky
in a storm, you stand out.
That’s what Zambia managed to
present at the mining Indaba by
projecting the stability that has
been attained over the last two
years and also the continuing
progressive strategy and laws that
the government has been rolling
out and effecting”.
And Chilembo noted that
lack of stability in the mining
sector over the past 50 years had
negatively affected it.
“The thing that we have been
lacking over the last 50 years
has been stability, stability and
more stability. We have really
been slow in accepting market
approach to attracting capital.
More so in the last dozens of
years when our country was
really the sight of the most fiscal
changes in the copper mining
sector in the world which led to
an erosion of confidence in the
jurisdiction that also translated
to a perception of increased risk.
This translated in real terms in
an increased cost of capital. The
higher premium risk of coming
to Zambia as a result,” he said.
“So, what we need to do
is just take a leaf from other
countries that have done this.
We have seen Chile do it, they
turned around in 76 when they
nationalised. Peru did it from 94
to date, and we have seen the DR
good hand hygiene; and visit
the healthcare facilities when
unwell. In ensuring preparations
for severe cases requiring
oxygen support, oxygen supply
systems have been improved
in our health facilities. We are
therefore ready to handle severe
respiratory illnesses requiring
oxygen therapy,’’ Masebo said.
She said the circulating
variant was still the Omicron
variant with few mutations.
“Allow me to highlight on
what our multi-sectoral and
multi-disciplinary response
system has put in place during
this rise of cases. (1) Our
COVID-19 centre of excellence
at Levy Mwanawasa teaching
Hospital has been re-equipped
with both staff and medical
Congo do it over the last 14 years
simply by maintaining stability
and they are now the second
largest producer in the world as
a result of that. This significantly
drives up GDP so that everybody
in the country is able to benefit.
We need to maintain a high level
of exploration, spend at least
$200 million dollars a year if
we are to attain a three-million-
tonne goal which remains the top
priority for the industry”.
Meanwhile, Chilembo
said the Minerals Regulation
Commission Bill was vital to
increasing confidence in the
mining sector.
“It’s an extremely crucial
document because it is really
the approach which will
determine whether we get to
three million tonnes or not.
Getting to three million tonnes
requires predictability, stability
and competitiveness. Now,
what we are in the middle of is
these changes, the effecting in
particular – Minerals Regulation
Commission Bill. This bill
is supposed to give life to an
institution that is supposed to
increase confidence in the
mining sector by improving
compliance, service delivery
and increasing the spread of
regulation throughout the
country,” he said.
“This can be done without
compromising predictability,
stability and competitiveness
which is really what the industry
would want to see. This is what
is required for us to maintain
the momentum of attracting
capital in the country. We did
very well last year, close to
$5 billion in commitments
towards the mining industry in
response to all of the stability
and continuously improved
environment being provided in
the last two years. And we need
to ensure this continues”.
When asked if the bill in its
current form presented risks,
Chilembo responded in the
affirmative.
“Yes, in its current form it
presents risks. There are some
risks on the horizon because
in its current form, the issue
of predictability is called into
commission. You see, what
should really be the focus is,
like I said, the improved service
delivery, compliance and
expansion of coverage. Also,
by creating a regulatory body,
you also then have the ability
to offer better conditions of
Business / Local News .7
supplies to attend to the rising
numbers. Similar treatment
centres have been re-activated
in other provinces. (2) Disease
surveillance has been enhanced
to ensure detection and
notification of all COVID-19
cases. This includes the use
of the electronic platform for
tracking of COVID-19 data. (3)
In-facility COVID-19 testing
for all symptomatic individuals
have been enhanced. As I speak,
all health facilities are testing for
COVID-19 among individuals
who present with suggestive
symptoms,’’ said Masebo.
“(4) Genomic sequencing
has progressed to ascertain
the variant circulating. It is
important to note the circulating
variant is still the Omicron
service and retain greater skills.
That is an operation focus that
is completely supportive of the
growth goal,” he said.
“What we are seeing instead
is provisions that are coming
in increasing the stakes in
exploration licences, mining
licences, a lot of which run the
risk of us being less competitive
when you look at our neighbours
even within SADC”.
He further observed that
the mining sector had not been
industrialised because of the
unstable policy.
“We are not industrialised
because we have not been policy
stable. Chile has been policy
stable and industrialised from
1976 and they produce five
million tonnes. Peru has been
policy stable and industrialised
from 1994 and has gone above
two million tonnes and on the
way to become high income
industrialised country. Botswana
has gone for 50 years with policy
stability and has done very well,”
said Chilembo.
Contributing to the
programme via telephone, Mines
and Minerals Development
Minister Paul Kabuswe said
government was not shy of
setting high goals.
Kabuswe was responding
to a caller that suggested that
government’s goals of attaining
three million tonnes of copper
production in 10 years was
variant with few mutations, not
largely different from what has
been circulating over time. (5)
We are also conducting waste-
water surveillance to detect the
virus that causes COVID-19.
This is in collaboration with the
Churches Health Association of
Zambia and the Association of
Public Health Laboratories. This
program will build up capacity
for genomic sequencing to
set the stage for integration to
cover other significant public
health pathogens. (6) Health
promotion messages for
COVID-19 has been enhanced
using numerous health
promotion media. This has
further been combined with the
cholera prevention and control
messaging. (7) Further, we
have 3,009,500 doses of the J&J
COVID-19 vaccine. We are also
expecting 350,000 doses of the
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines next
month in April, 2024’’.
She encouraged the public
to adhere to public health
preventive precautions.
unrealistic.
“First and foremost, I am
following the programme closely
and I think that the discussion is
progressive, only that I want to
disagree with Mr Temba. I think
as a country we need to set our
goals very high. The matrix that
we have done in achieving the
three million tonnes is achievable
within the time frame we have set
as the government. We are not
afraid of setting high goals. If Mr
Chilembo is saying for instance
DRC has done 2.4 million in 14
years, it means we can do. Look
at what DRC did and then use
that 14 years to 10 and increase
the 2.4 to 3 million,” he said.
“So, it is a goal we are able to
achieve. And when we are talking
like this as the government, it is
not that we are setting goals
that are not achievable. We have
looked at the matrix”.
The Minister further
revealed that some people had a
tendency of not declaring what
they mined, hence the need for a
Minerals Commission.
“I will be very clear to you
and the Chamber of Mines, it’s a
known fact that we have people
that are not even declaring
what they are mining but it is
slipping through. So, what we
want as the government is to
ensure everybody is compliant.
The Minerals Commission is
not counterproductive,” said
Kabuswe.
3541-12-29/03/24
8. Opinion www.diggers.news Wednesday March 6, 2024

I The FIC is back on track; what will

T IS now a matter
of fact that almost
every report
published by the

UPND govt do about their reports?

Financial Intelligence
Centre disclosing
financial crimes is
rendered worthless
by the government
of the day and the
law enforcement money laundering?
agencies. How many Something has to be
financial crimes have done. Zambia’s financial
been successfully integrity is under siege
prosecuted from and the FIC has year
the findings of the in, year out, faced
FIC? The record is disclosure with inaction
very poor if it exists from government
at all. For years, the and law enforcement
Financial Intelligence agencies under both the
Centre has been a PF and UPND. There is
stalwart in uncovering little desire to deal with
the murky depths of money laundering head
financial malfeasance on.
within the nation
using our commercial Clement Kapalu
banks. But these and his team at the
efforts lead us Financial Intelligence
nowhere; no action is alarming but shocking. equivocal message annual trends document chilling message to the Centre deserve
taken and the corrupt But the question is; being sent to financial by producing quarterly Zambian people: that commendation for
continue to walk head- what will the UPND crimes perpetrators. It’s briefings so that people the rule of law is but a bringing this to public
high above the people government do about it? confusing how the same know in real time what hollow promise, and attention. He has
they deprive. government which has is happening and what that those businessmen started very well; it
On a number of set up this court is also is being disseminated to linked to people in looks like he wants
The Financial occasions we have heard aggressively embracing LEAs. If the substantive positions of power and a closer and tighter
Intelligence Centre pronouncements from non-conviction-based leadership at the Centre influence are immune relationship with
annual reports, President Hakainde settlements. Who was had been put in place to accountability. reporting entities.
painstakingly Hichilema that his that court made for? immediately after 2021, The entanglement of We hope that he will
compiled, shed light government has set a lot of these issues we foreign businessmen in remain resolute on that
on the illicit flows of up a fast-track court This is why we say that are hearing now would financial crimes using path. The spotlight
funds; the nefarious for financial crimes. despite the rhetoric from have been exposed our commercial banks, is now on the Police,
involvement of Even a few days ago, the UPND government, early. Today we are clearly signifies that any the Anti-Corruption
Chinese businessmen, the Chief Justice was financial crimes are on simply asking ourselves preventive oversight Commission, the
probably with the pointing to this same the increase. A new cycle questions; if one quarter by the Bank of Zambia Drug Enforcement
help of politically establishment; assuring of revelations from the of 2023 produced these is non-existent. Surely, Commission and the
exposed persons and citizens that cases under Financial Intelligence findings, what happened commercial banks ought Director of Public
our commercial banks. this court will not Centre has started in the previous quarters? to ask questions to people Prosecutions. The
This trend threatens take longer than five rolling in, but we see What are the figures in they see depositing spotlight is equally
the very fabric of months. On paper, this the wheels of justice 2022 and 2021? unexplained money in on the Republican
Zambia’s economic looks like a progressive perpetually getting stuck bank accounts; this is President. What will
integrity, and it must undertaking to ensure in the mud of inefficacy, As other nations their mandate under they do about the new
not merely be an that certain crimes, with with no prosecutions tighten their regulatory the KYC regulations. reports coming out of
anthem for the nation economic implications materializing from framework and clamp The banks ought to the rebranded Financial
to sing and forget. in nature, should not these damning findings. down on illicit financial ring the alarm when Intelligence Centre?
The disclosure by the drag for many years. What we like about the activities, Zambia risks they take money which Will they make the
Financial Intelligence But somehow, there new leadership at the becoming a pariah if is outrightly linked to change or they will also
Centre from the 2023 doesn’t seem to be a Financial Intelligence these reports go without criminal activities. Why start attacking the new
fourth quarter report serious drive from Centre is that they seem actioning. Politically, are our commercial FIC Director General
that US$ 2.8 billion was this government to to be implementing a the impunity enjoyed by banks not doing this? for embarrassing them,
suspected to have been root out corruption, strategy of depoliticizing money launderers and Is this not tantamount as the PF government
laundered is not only instead, we hear an the famous financial their cohorts sends a to abetting and aiding did?

Crossword puzzle No 1652 “The best and most Solutions to puzzle No 1651
beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even
touched – they must be felt
with the heart.” – Helen
Keller
Wednesday March 6, 2024 www.diggers.news Readers’ Feedback .9

Readers’ Feedback
Lawlessness should not be promoted because of votes Lungu
a shadow of
Editor, 2. Farmers with the flow price social cash transfer has been land to themselves or others
of maize it means villagers increased 5 times the way PF illegally or through fraud

his former self

“That’s where we miss it,
promoting lawlessness
because of votes sure... aikona
man. We all know that most
marketeers, vendors, and
thugs voted for PF but that
did not change the outcome.
What makes you think it will
change this time around? At
the moment PF is sharing
members with Socialist Party.
So all those who have given
up will be easily compensated,
because all these people
below are happy
1. Civil servants are happy,
leave benefits, settling
allowances etc which PF left
are being dismantled
Who should we blame for Copper
are happy
3. Students and their
families are happy with meal
allowances
4. Most parents are happy
they are no longer paying
schools fees
5. Over 5,000 people have
been employed reducing the
poverty gap in their families
so the 5,000 and their
families are also happy
6. Retirees are getting their
packages within 3 months so
Senior citizens are also happy
7. Schools and other
infrastructure are being built
in the village using CDF
8. The vulnerable are happy
left it
So I wonder where you will get
the votes from. Soon mealie
meal will be cheap, what next.
Last time I checked PF became
third in their own stronghold
during the recent by-election.
They even lost to newcomers
SP.
Heal, we are not going back to
Babylon any time soon despite
the challenges we going
through”. - John Smiler
“Lawlessness should not
continue to be protected by
opportunistic politicians.
We should begin to ensure
that all those who allocate
or corruption must without
fail be prosecuted and
jailed regardless of political
affiliation. Innocent citizens
continue being inconvenienced
either by losing land or being
sold land illegally. The Ministry
of Lands also needs serious
and urgent reformation as
well as councils”. - Lassie
Kakuta
“Lusaka City Council gave out
that land (Munyaule market
area) on a concession in 2019
and you will be the first to be
given priority. Let’s live in an
organized society”. - Mutawari
Johnathan
“That’s why I think it’s difficult
to develop under democracy”.
- Mi Chelo
indeed
“But you are scared of
him, why not give him
Editor, all the liberties he gave
you in the opposition
“Sounds harsh but for us to prove that
true”. - Ruth Reuben
indeed he is a shadow
of his former self?” -
“But why do you talk Bashi Temwa
about him every day?”
- Chanda Nsofu “You are just afraid
that you have messed
“Lungu is a kind of up big time and
person who thrives arresting Lungu will
on purchased loyalty,
complicate your stay
and is so delusional in power”. - Shadreck
that he believes it’s Chinyanta
genuine loyalty”. -
Richard Waga
“Why flogging a dead
horse?” - Patama
“Mweetwa is right. Mwachindalo

Queens’ poor display against Ghana?

Editor,
“I believe fans didn’t
criticise him as an
individual but his
poor tactics and lack
of understanding of
modern football in him.
For a Ghanaian gaffer
to see something in our
team speaks volumes.
Tools are there but it
is the bad carpenter
to blame for shoddy
works”. - Joseph Zulu
“When you think
there is hope then
comes the statement
so disappointing and
goes to show that
there is little hope for
improvement”. - Fanwell
Chibwe
“This Kamanga
General Secretary is
more of a fan than an
administrator. You can
see the way he runs
to take pictures with
players after the game.
Bruce Mwape was
exposed and everyone
saw his failure to apply
his tactics. Bena ati ‘he
is just OK’ maybe they
owe him money so they
fear to criticise or fire
him”. - Brian Sichula
“Even if the copper
queens qualify for the
Olympics they are still
gonna meet teams like
Japan and Spain so it
will be the same story
of losing 5 to zero. We
need an expatriate
coach no dununa kind
of football”. - Ryan
Chisanga
“Okay! Then Kamanga
must go! Because
we have to blame
someone”. - Kaluwe
“So who should we
blame? Is he not the
coach? Is he not the one
who employs tactics?
Manages the game and
women’s team?Such a
disappointing statement
from Reuben Kamanga!
So in short what they
are telling us indirectly
is that they can not
remove Bruce Mwape
as Coach. And they
are comfortable with
him and his mediocre/
Editor,
“This drought cannot be
compared to the 2017
drought. Moreover,
what measures did bena
Kampyongo put in place
because we suffered
the most devastating
load shedding and many
businesses collapsed”. -
Emmalito Lias
“Which drought and in
which year? I am sure it
was a Foreign Exchange
drought on Katondo
It’s not worth
it! Some people
“Things must be done nikubaleka che. Balibe
negative tactics! Smh
methodically not haphazardly
like this”. - Hibbuku
nchito”. - Nancy
Prisháàn’s Mum
EDITOR’S
Kuwawafye!” - Edwin
Tenario Gondwe
Hamundyoli Mpooma
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language.
Street. Imilandu ku
court shamufulunganya”.
- Christopher Kalima Kampyongo, this drought
“Yes you are right
Kampyongo and maybe
cannot be compared to
just maybe the ruling
party can also consult
the 2017 drought
you on how you handled
lawbreakers since you
were in charge of horrible and nerve- handling the situation authorities, why not
police”. - Ted Saka racking loss of doing amicably without put your solutions for
business. Edgar Lungu’s careless borrowing. consideration if at all
“That’s the time when government went and Save your advice”. - you have any because
borrowed in excess using Sylvester Nsofwa suffering knows no
many businesses suffered
because of load shedding. our situation then as citizen? All of us ni
Zambia experienced a an excuse. UPND is “You are part tiye tiye”. - Kinglisto
potentially capable of of the governing Zwide Silimi
10. Local News
G Zambia calls on US, other countries to remove
By Mwenya Mofya
OVERNMENT has
called on the United
States of America and
other countries to remove all
sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Government has further
reaffirmed its unwavering
commitment to working
closely with countries in the
SADC region and beyond in
fostering greater integration
and cooperation.
Reuters reported on
Monday that the United States
had terminated a Zimbabwe
sanctions programme and
reimposed curbs on nine people
and three entities, including
Lungu is overrating himself if he
thinks he can come back – PF MP
C
By Angela Muchinshi
HADIZA PF member
of parliament Jonathan
Daka says former
president Edgar Lungu is
overrating himself if he thinks
he can return to office just
because the cost of living is
high.
On Monday, PF faction
president Miles Sampa
appointed Daka as party vice
president for mobilisation,
Commenting on his
appointment in an interview,
Tuesday, Daka said he had
accepted the appointment as
there was only one PF, legally.
He added that Lungu was
just masquerading as party
leader.
“I’ve been appointed to
that position and I accepted it
looking at what the president
was looking for, since I met all
requirements of what he wanted
a person to take up that position
to possess. I’m a PF member,
I’ve never moved to any political
party. UKA is an alliance and
PF is not part of that alliance.
Legally there’s only one PF and if
people are aggrieved, they move
to form another political party
and they are masquerading
as PF, it’s very unfortunate
because any normal thinking
person needs to possess the
legal acquisition of the party for
you to claim that you own that
political party. But if you look at
all the legal requirements of PF,
actually none of all those people
who have joined UKA are part
of the PF. Some have been
expelled and matters are still in
court,” Daka said.
Faith Musonda defends her assets, opposes
forfeiture
From P3
Musonda stated that ACC
had omitted several of her
legitimate sources of income
in its affidavit such as rental
proceeds from her property
in Salama Park and various
incomes derived from her
professional engagements.
“I am aware that the
applicant’s omission of
several legitimate sources of
income attributed to me in
their affidavit is employed
to justify their purported
reasonable suspicion. These
include rental proceeds
from a property I own in
Salama Park and various
incomes derived from my
professional engagements,
notable appointments include
positions at SABC, Tsogo Sun
Group of Hotels (Southern
Sun) in Pretoria. I assumed
all sanctions on Zimbabwe
the country’s president, over
their alleged involvement in
corruption or serious human
rights abuse.
In a statement, Tuesday,
Acting Minister of Foreign
Affairs and International
Cooperation Mulambo Haimbe
said Zambia acknowledged
the decision by US President
Joseph Biden relating to the
sanctions programme on
Zimbabwe.
He added that lifting
all sanctions against
“Lungu is masquerading
as PF president, I don’t want
to be disrespectful to him but
that’s the way things are. We
have to operate within the law
and he knows that because
he’s a lawyer. He knows what’s
at the registrar’s office, so he’s
masquerading as PF president.
Actually, that man resigned, and
you know the criteria of how you
come back to PF is very clear.
It happened to Miles Sampa,
when he left PF and wanted to
come back, they told him he
had to wait for three years to be
accredited to the party. These
things are very clear. The only
PF president as it stands now
is Miles Sampa. People can say
whatever they want but that’s
how things are now. If they are
saying in contrast they are just
in denial. The leadership of PF
which is there has come to stay,
nothing else”.
Daka said despite the high
cost of living, Zambians didn’t
want Lungu to return to power.
“We may be facing
challenges of high cost of living
and all these other things but
that doesn’t mean they want
him to come back to power.
The same basis that Zambians
are complaining now about
the cost of living is the same
ground that the Zambians made
him chucked out of power. In
short, in Zambia people don’t
eat their vomit, Zambians are
so principled that they don’t
eat what they have vomited.
Let our parent, the former head
of state, go back, sit, relax and
enjoy his retirement. He can
reclaim his benefits, he worked
senior management roles in
prominent local institutions,
serving as head of Channel
for ZNBC TV2 and holding
a position within the DG’s
office at ZDA where I received
gratuities and other payments
in form of allowances. That
as a communications expert
with 24 years of experience,
I have successfully operated
my commercial television
production companies from
its inception,” she stated.
“I acquired government
bonds and treasury bills
through an account with the
BOZ, utilizing funds obtained
from the sale of one of my
properties. It is important to
note that the amount reflected
in the affidavit in support
represents the accrued value
of these investments and the
organic growth, rather than
www.diggers. news
Zimbabwe would signal a
crucial progression in the
implementation of shared
ideals such as inclusive
democratic governance.
“The Government of
the Republic of Zambia
acknowledges the decision
by His Excellency Mr Joseph
R. Biden, President of the
United States of America on
4th March 2024, relating to
the sanctions programme on
the Republic of Zimbabwe,
which has been in existence
for them. Otherwise let him not
just be misled by selfish people.
Even in 2021 the same people
misled him, they are back again
misleading him,” said Daka.
“If you look at the history of
Zambian politics, which former
head of state has ever come back
to power? Lungu was supposed
to take advantage of what’s
happening in the country, he’s
the only surviving former head
of state, and as such we expected
him to take up the position of
statesman. He was supposed
We can’t consult PF on drought because
they want to see HH fail – State House
P
By Angela Muchinshi
RESIDENT Hakainde
Hichilema’s political
advisor Levy Ngoma
says government cannot
consult PF on the drought
crisis because the opposition
party wants to see President
Hakainde Hichilema fail.
On Monday, Shiwang’andu
PF member of parliament
Stephen Kampyongo said
President Hichilema should
swallow his pride and reach out
to people who have dealt with
the drought issue because it was
not happening for the first time.
Commenting on this in
an interview, Tuesday, Ngoma
wondered how government
could consult people whose
preoccupation was to see the
the initial amount I paid for
the government bonds and
the treasury bills. That the
acquisition of a fixed term
deposit facility from Madison
Finance limited was facilitated
by revenues generated from
multiple advertising contracts
executed by Life TV. It is clear
that the applicant’s assertions
regarding the origins of the
properties in question are
baseless and without merit.
The attempt to attribute
suspicion of proceeds of
crime to assets that have
been lawfully acquired and
are properly accounted for is
unjustified”.
In her skeleton
arguments, Musonda argued
that this was a fit and proper
case for the court to conclude
that the properties in question
were legitimately acquired.
since 2003. Zambia takes
cognizance of the profound
implications of this decision
as an important step towards
reconfiguring relations with
Zimbabwe and consequently
supporting development
activity in the southern African
region. This decision opens
doors for renewed engagement
to tackle pressing challenges,
to be in good books with the
current serving head of state in
the interest of the Zambians.
I’ve been seeing what has been
happening in other countries,
look at what Ruto demonstrated
with Odinga. When you’ve
had your time and it’s gone, it’s
basically to just sit down and
enjoy your benefits. If Lungu is
saying he wants to come back
into power, then he’s illusional
and he’s over rating himself.
Honestly speaking Zambians
have moved”.
President out of power.
“When a national disaster
has been declared, it entails that
support is being sought from
nearly everyone. So you don’t
need to start playing politics
over straight forward matters.
When it comes to certain
individuals, they are toxic. How
do you go to consult people who
don’t mean well? People whose
preoccupation is to see you fail.
Even in the animal kingdom, it
would be folly for a sheep to go
and consult a hungry hyena. The
sheep would be very calculative
because it knows what the
hyena is all about, it can’t even
go near. So today Kampyongo
should say we should go to
them, that’s highly suspicious.
But ordinarily, the net has been
“We submit that this
constitutes a fit and proper
case for this court to conclude
that the properties in question
were legitimately acquired.
The comprehensive evidence
provided by the first interested
party effectively refutes any
suggestion of impropriety or
unlawful activity surrounding
the acquisition of these assets.
Consequently, we contend
that the applicant’s case lacks
merit and fails to establish
any grounds for forfeiture.
Based on the demonstrated
legitimacy of the first
interested party’s acquisition
of the properties, we
respectfully urge this court to
dismiss the applicant’s claims
accordingly,” stated Musonda.
Wednesday March 6, 2024
including those concerning
food security and climate
change which greatly affect
livelihoods. Zambia stands
firm in supporting efforts to
alleviate the broader societal
impacts affecting the region,
the continent and the globe
as a whole. Therefore, this
latest decision is welcomed as
a positive step among many
others to follow,” said Haimbe.
“To this end, Zambia
calls on the United States of
America and other countries
Mulambo Haimbe
cast wide, but when you talk
about certain individuals who
want special treatment, wait a
minute on that one…,” Ngoma
said.
“It’s not about trust, are
they individuals you can even
think that they can do the right
thing for the country and the
UPND, particularly President
HH? Their desire is to see him
out of power like yesterday,
so we should be careful. Is
there anything that they have
seen in terms of what the
President has done? Nothing.
They’ve condemned CDF,
they’ve condemned the early
distribution of farming inputs to
the farmers, they’ve condemned
free education. Edgar Lungu
was saying he’s going to
abolish it, they’ve condemned
the recruitment of teachers,
they’ve condemned the partial
withdrawal of NAPSA. They’ve
condemned everything, so
today they should wake up
and appear holy, come on, let’s
be serious. There’s a country
to look at which needs serious
attention and not those monkey
games Kampyongo is trying to
play”.
And commenting on
claims that President Hichilema
blamed the PF when they
were faced with a similar
situation, Ngoma argued that
the President was just advising
the PF to declare the drought
situation as a national disaster.
“President HH that time was
saying ‘this is a dire situation,
may you as the Patriotic Front
declare the drought situation
as a national disaster’? He was
giving them advice. Even before
issues reach proportions that
are irretrievable, what have
you seen the President do? He
gathered his courage after full
consultation with all relevant
to remove all sanctions
against Zimbabwe, which will
signal a crucial progression
in the implementation of the
shared ideals such as inclusive
democratic governance,
institutional reform and the
promotion of stability, peace
and security. The Zambian
Government reaffirms its
unwavering commitment to
working closely with countries
in the SADC region and
beyond in fostering greater
integration and cooperation”.
authorities in this country,
stakeholders. What has he done?
Hasn’t he moved to declare this
as a national disaster? And
declaring something a national
disaster entails help is being
sort, it entails certain things
are going to be done. You heard
about the realignment of the
budget, you heard about certain
expenditure that have to be
cut, you heard about priorities
being recast, you’ve heard
about irrigation that’s going
to be promoted even under
this situation. So, everything is
pointing in the right direction
as far as the management of
this situation is concerned and
not trying to play politics like
Kampyongo is doing. HH was
just advising them, can you
declare this situation,” he said.
He argued that the
President was not haunted by
his past utterances.
“There’s nothing haunting
the President, zero. He’s a
President that is principally
concerned about the suffering of
people, about the situation this
country is in grip with, climate
change. This issue has got a lot
of reasons which has caused
it, part of it is climate change.
This calls for certain measures
to make sure that we safeguard
that which is left, plant more
trees, protect the riverbanks, all
those issues. To be concerned
about a situation does not mean
that you’re haunted. And the
concern comes from the fact
that you care a lot, you’re a
living leader, and you know that
what my citizens are passing
through is not a good thing, so
you can’t say that you’re being
haunted. They should stop
playing politics because to them
everything is politics, you can’t
be politicking all the time,” said
Ngoma.
Wednesday March 6, 2024
We won’t be swayed by Morocco
coach’s mind games – Copper
Queens gaffer
W
By Godfrey Dube
OMEN’S national
team Coach Bruce
Mwape says the
team will not be swayed by
Jorge Vilda’s praises ahead
of the last round of the
2024 Paris Olympic Games
qualifiers next month.
The Morocco women’s team
coach heaped praises on the
Copper Queens, likening them
to Real Madrid’s Galacticos of
the early 2000s.
“They have a very scary
squad with super individual
players who can change
your game plan due to their
brilliance. You have no idea how
to contain both Barbra Banda
and Rachael Kundananji. These
are strong Players, very skillful
and fast. How do you contain
such players? If it was one,
yes, we would suggest we give
her attention and tightly mark
her. Now it’s two players! You
can’t tight-mark two players,
and that’s where they take it
all. They also have a difficult
system. You don’t know how
they’ll play, or have any ideas
Zambia’s economy
would crash if we
stopped exporting
power - Zesco
From P4
But of course, government
will have to step in and say
you might be able to import
that expensive power as well.
But that will not cover 100
percent and by the way, this
drought is not just covering
Zambia, Zimbabwe is hit,
Zambia is hit, Botswana
of course is also hit. They
may also have to get power
from us. So, there are several
measures that have been taken
but proper schedules, proper
communication will be made
on how this is going to be
done,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mapani said
Zambia Sugar is among the
many industrial entities that
had been upgraded to the
power purchase agreement
which provides for a better
deal than retail tariffs.
“Originally, Zambia Sugar
was on what we call the retail
tariff. Retail tariff means there
was no supply agreement, you
just give them power, and you
come and read the meter, you
send them a bill, then they pay.
And Zambia Sugar, like many
other industrial customers like
Kafue Sugar, some of the big
industries within Lusaka and
outside Lusaka, some small
mining companies, they are ok
with these retail tariffs. Now
we have basically transformed
that in our tariff migration.
We make sure that all those
industrial customers now
move to the power purchase
agreements. And Zambia
Sugar was one of our biggest
client,” said Mapani.
“We negotiated with them
and now it means they pay a
specific tariff. It’s no longer like
waiting on what is happening
and this is an economic tariff.
Just to give you an idea, the
of their tactics. You will not
see them play in midfield, the
next moment you see balls out
wide. Banda and Kundananji
out-running everyone! That’s
difficult to contain. But we will
have a game plan and try to
cut ball supplies to the two and
have a way to stop them from
receiving balls,” said Vilda.
“No doubt they have
the most expensive female
footballer in their squad,
and the most feared female
forward, which plays to their
advantage because most
defenders and opponents are
frightened. I would say they are
like the 2002-04 Real Madrid
Galacticos. You have Ronaldo,
Raul, Figo, and Zidane in one
team? Opponents will be scared
of you and have no one to tight
mark. We will do our best
and qualify for the Olympics.
Things are quite clear for us.
If we want to qualify, we have
to rise to the challenge against
the Zambian national team.
average tariff for all these
industrial customers was
lower than 4 cents per unit.
Domestic tariffs was sitting
averaging 5 cents. So, we are
actually paying more in a
house than Zambia Sugar. So,
they are actually paying an
almost economic tariff. We
will migrate to the economic
one but we are getting there.”
Konkola has improved because the working
K culture has changed – Chambeshi
By Godfrey Dube
ONKOLA Blades
Coach Beston
Chambeshi has
attributed the team’s good
performance to an improved
work ethic and a strong
desire to achieve their goals.
Chambeshi took the
reigns at the club in November
and has only tasted defeat
once in 12 games, winning
four and drawing seven.
The Chililabombwe-based
side, sits 10th in the MTN
Super League, with 29 points,
after 23 games played.
In an interview with
Goal Diggers on Tuesday,
Chambeshi said the team has
set itself a target of finishing
within the top eight teams at
the end of the season.
He said the working
culture and belief in the
team give him confidence in
achieving the target.
“We have the momentum
right now and are working
hard to achieve the top-eight
finish target we set after I took
charge of the team. I have
confidence as a coach because
I have seen how the boys work
on the field of play. We work
as a team, and take each game
at a time. We keep trusting
www.diggers.news
We have all the capabilities to
qualify. We will face a strong
opponent and have a month to
prepare”.
But Mwape said the team
would not be deceived by the
comments of Vilda, describing
the praises as mind games.
“Those are mind games. We
won’t be deceived by that. We
shall not underrate them. We
will stick to our game plan. We
won’t fall for what the Morocco
coach is saying. He praised our
players like Barbra and Racheal,
but that won’t sway us. We need
to talk to the players about the
need to avoid complacency. I
know he wants to confuse our
players. We shall talk to our
players for his praise not to get
to their heads,” Mwape said.
“We have played Morocco
three times. We drew once and
beat them twice. But that should
not get to our heads. They have
changed and have some new
players. This will be a different
ball game altogether. We will
need to change our tactics.
We know their strengths and
weaknesses. We need to watch
their last two games against
Tunisia. I’m sure they have
made some changes”.
He admitted that the
Copper Queens needed to work
extra hard and dig deeper to
qualify for the Olympics.
“We need to work hard and
improve in some areas like the
goalkeeping department. We
also need to improve in the
midfield. One thing people
should know is that Ghana is
a stronger side than Morocco.
We will put in everything not to
let the people of Zambia down.
They may have the technology
and everything, but going to the
Olympics is non-negotiable,”
said Mwape.
Zambia eliminated Ghana
from the qualifiers after a 4-3
aggregate victory.
the process and believe we
have many strengths that can
help us achieve the set target.
We don’t want to lose the
momentum we have right
now. We want to go up to the
end of the season,” Chambeshi
said.
“It’s the working culture
that has changed things at the
club. You know the boys have
come on board and want to
work towards the set target.
They are willing to learn new
things and work hard to see
the club get back to its glory
days. The culture in training,
the approach to games, and
the team spirit matter. We are
still working on all the above
aspects because we want to see
these players in training work
hard just like in a game”.
Chambeshi described the
ongoing season as competitive,
adding that all teams wanted
to win the league title.
“This season has been
competitive, and it’s evident
from the differences in the log
standing. We are happy with
the competition levels because
Z
By Godfrey Dube
AMBIA has suffered
an early setback at
the All-Africa Games
in Ghana as all four of its
Table Tennis singles players
were eliminated during
the preliminary rounds
yesterday.
Choolwe Hamalambo was
the first to step into the court
and suffered a 3-1 defeat at the
hands of Nadir Mohamed of
Sudan in the round of 128.
Charles Banda followed
suit, losing 3-1 to Kassa
Gedeon of the Democratic
Republic of Congo in the
round of 64.
In the women’s category,
Latifa Nalavwe lost 0-3 to
Loghraibi Lynda of Algeria,
with Kunda Mubanga getting
knocked out by South Africa’s
Sonday Rochica in the round
of 64 with the same score line.
The Zambia Table Tennis
Cristoforetti calls
18 players ahead
of futsal AFCON
Z
By Godfrey Dube
AMBIA futsal national
team coach Andrea
Cristoforetti has
unveiled an 18-member
provisional squad ahead
of next month’s 2024
TotalEnergies Futsal Africa
Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be
held in Morocco.
Cristoforetti has added
four players to the squad that
defeated Mozambique 4-3 on
aggregate to qualify for the
Futsal AFCON, which will run
from 8 to 17 April in Rabat.
CAF announced that draws
are set for March 7, at the
Mohammed V Sports Complex
in Egypt.
Zambia will join hosts
every team is doing its best. It’s
difficult to underrate any team
now. All clubs are pushing and
working hard to challenge for
the title. So it’s a competitive
league that promises fireworks
up to the end of the season. It’s
difficult to point a figure on
who will win it, but we remain
focused and fight on,” said
Chambeshi.
“We are not limiting
ourselves to finishing within
the top eight. Anything
is possible in football,
and we shall not remove
ourselves from the list of
teams challenging for the
title. The message is that we
should believe in ourselves as
Konkola Blades. This is the
MTN Super League, and we
can challenge for anything. I
have built a solid team spirit,
and the boys are competing
very well, which is good.
Otherwise, it’s a matter of
having belief and being able to
tackle any opponent”.
Red Arrows lead the table
with 45 points, three better
than second-placed Zesco
Zambia’s table tennis
players eliminated from
singles at African Games
Association (ZTTA) expressed
disappointment with the
quartet’s elimination in the
singles.
“Very disappointing
results for our athletes in the
singles. They played well but
suffered defeats on their debut
appearances at the African
Games. Not to give excuses,
but the use of old racquets
affected them. The players
should forget the setback and
learn lessons from the losses.
We urged them to focus on
the doubles and mixed doubles
since we won’t play team
Morocco, Angola, Egypt,
Ghana, Libya, Mauritania, and
Namibia at the eighth edition
of the continental Futsal
Championship which will
feature eight teams.
The full team comprises
goalkeepers Jackson Chitungu,
Lluckson Daka, and Evaristo
Mulolo.
In-field players are Chota
Chileshe, Jjack Simwami, Prince
Lungu, Patrick Banda, James
Mwila, Wiseman Phiri, Francis
Chinyama, Michelo Kampwe,
Gift Chansa and Boniface
Ndlovu.
Others are Mbalika
Mwaliteta, Hendricks Chisanga,
Leevan Nyirenda, Boldwin Zulu
and Steven Banda.
United, who sit on 42 points.
Defending Champions,
Power Dynamos are third,
Beston Chambeshi
Sports / Local News .11
events,” General Secretary
Martin Chewe said.
“We are not playing team
events as team Zambia because
the minimum number for team
events is three, and we only
travelled with four players. We
urge the players to shift focus
to doubles and mixed doubles
that start on March 8”.
Asked if losing in the
singles could be attributed
to players arriving 24 hours
before the event, Chewe
responded in the negative.
“We expect players to
put in extra effort to achieve
qualification to the Olympics
in both doubles and mixed
doubles. I can’t say that
arriving 24 hours before the
games started contributed.
It happens, and we hope our
players recover in the doubles
and mixed doubles,” said
Chewe.
Meanwhile, Badminton
Zambia (BZ) General
Secretary Juma Muwowo said
it was frustrating to nations to
hear that the Local Organising
Committee (LOC) had
cancelled the team event at the
Games.
“Team events have been
cancelled. Draws for Singles
will be conducted this evening
(yesterday). All these were the
decisions of the local organizing
committee. The venue was not
ready. It is frustrating because
we prepared for team and
individual events. Team events
are always a good build-up to
the individual events,” said
Muwowo.
He said the Badminton
Confederation of Africa
(BCA) informed them
during the meeting that only
individual events would count
for the 2024 Paris Olympic
qualification.
with 40 points, three better
than fourth-placed FC
MUZA, who sit on 37 points.

No 1684 K15 www.diggers.news Wednesday March 6, 2024
Why Alonso flavours joining
Bayern over Liverpool
X
ABI Alonso’s reasons
for favouring a move
to Bayern Munich
over one to Liverpool have
been revealed, with Jurgen
Klopp playing a leading role.
Managerial change is
on the cards at the Allianz
Arena and Anfield, with
Bayern and Liverpool
preparing to part ways with
their current coaches. Klopp
has announced that he will
VILDA PLAYING MIND
be walking away from his
GAMES - MWAPE
...he praised our players but
W that won’t sway us
By Godfrey Dube
OMEN’S national
team Coach Bruce
Mwape says the
team will not be swayed by
Jorge Vilda’s praises ahead of
the last round of the 2024 Paris
Olympic Games qualifiers next
Man City forward Haaland
eyes further improvement
P
ROLIFIC Manchester
City striker Erling
Haaland says he
can still improve despite
having scored 80 goals in 84
appearances for the Treble
winners.
Last week the 23-year-old
Norway international scored
five in City’s FA Cup fifth-
round win at Luton.
He won last season’s
Premier League Golden Boot
and is top of this season’s
standings despite missing
nearly two months with a foot
injury.
“There’s a lot of things I
R T I SE
AD V E
H E R E
Zambia’s
table tennis
players
contract on Merseyside in that the 42-year-old favours
eliminated
the summer, while Thomas an extended stay in Germany.
Tuchel is to sever ties with It is claimed that Bayern
Bundesliga giants in Bavaria. are “cautiously optimistic”
from singles
Alonso, who played when it comes to acquiring
for both clubs and has led Alonso. That is because the
unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen “Klopp legacy” at Liverpool is
at African
to the top of the Bundesliga considered to be too difficult
table this season, has to follow – with the German
emerged as a frontrunner to having delivered Premier
Games
fill either post. The former League and Champions
Spain international has a big League glory to heavyweights
decision on his hands, with in England.
Sky Deutschland reporting GOAL Xabi Alonso Story on P11
Bruce Mwape
month. Copper Queens, likening them
The Morocco women’s team to Real Madrid’s Galacticos of the
coach heaped praises on the early 2000s. Story on P11
can become better at,” he said. somehow put the ball wide of
Despite scoring in an empty goal when he was
Sunday’s Manchester derby, barely three yards out - as
Haaland referenced his evidence there is more to do.
incredible miss - when he BBC
Cristoforetti calls
18 players ahead
of futsal AFCON
Copper Queens forward Racheal Nachula and Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem pose for
a picture as new Anthens Cup champions after beating Kiryat Gat SC Women 5-4 on
Story on P11 penalties.