L/stone call boys urinate against poor sanitation
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Tue 05 June 2012, 13:23 CAT
CALL boys at Livingstone's main local commuter station yesterday urinated publicly in protest against poor sanitation during a visit by the parliamentary committee on local government led by Eustarkio Kazonga.
The incident happened when the committee members visited the bus station to familiarise themselves with the challenges being faced by the Livingstone City Council in terms of sanitation.
The call boys approached ZNBC cameraman Elias Hakatombwe and led him to a caravan situated next to a makeshift restaurant commonly known as Savage Restaurant and openly urinated.
"We want to show you how we go about our daily lives. This is our only toilet and behind this caravan is a restaurant," said one call boy as he and others urinated.
Later the committee bypassed the caravan and the call boys shouted while pointing at the heaps of garbage and their makeshift 'toilets'.
The area around the caravan had a strong stench of urine.
Three other boys simulated urinating as Kazonga, who is former local government minister, hurriedly walked on.
One of the members of parliament was overhead joking to a female National Assembly member of staff that they would have lunch at the Savage Restaurant.
Earlier, a minibus driver Lloyd Nyambe pushed his way through the councillors who accompanied Kazonga to brief him on the bad state of the station.
"We need this ground to be worked on as it is very bad during the time of rains as we don't have shelters," Nyambe said.
In response, Kazonga said he was happy for his decision to speak out as opposed to being quiet.
"The council management is here with the town clerk and the mayor and they are listening. We want this place to be a decent one with toilets and running water," said Kazonga.
And when he visited the council's public toilet at the taxi rank near Shalom bus station, Kazonga was briefed by a taxi driver Victor Mwengwe who operates the Kazungula-Livingstone route, that the public toilet closed at 17:00 hours and requested that it be a 24 hour facility.
Labels: EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, LIVINGSTONE
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Maize fiasco
By The Post
Wed 01 June 2011, 04:00 CAT
Eustarkio Kazonga, the Minister of Agriculture, on May 16, 2011 announced the Crop Forecast Survey for the 2010/2011 production season and the national Food Balance Status for the 2011/2012 marketing season.
Kazonga, in his speech, stated that: “The official crop production estimates that I am releasing today are based on a universally applied scientific survey method that is used every year. The survey is jointly conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Central Statistical Office and covers all the districts of the country.”
We therefore take Kazonga’s word for it and the released official statistics as accurate. He announced that the Crop Forecast Survey indicated that the country had produced 3,020,380 tonnes of maize which represents an eight per cent increase over last year’s figure of 2,795,483 tonnes.
Kazonga attributed this “historic” achievement to an increase of area cultivated by small and medium-scale farmers by 11 per cent; an increase in the area planted by these farmers due to the good price and guaranteed market provided by the Food Reserve Agency last season; increase in the quantity of inputs distributed by the government and increase in use of hybrid seed.
Good weather was conveniently left out as one of the key contributing factors to this grand production.
We should, however, not be misunderstood to be against farmers. To the contrary, we commend our farmers for this grand production. However, we sympathise with farmers as this mono-crop approach is shrouded in deception, tainted with malice and a political tool to win rural support.
Government funds or guarantees to FRA borrowing are used as the bait for small and medium-scale farmers to grow maize by the tonnes.
Dora Siliya, the Minister of Education, was seen on ZNBC television earlier this year, excitedly announcing that the MMD government had put K1.3 trillion in peasant farmers’ pockets. However, researched facts indicate otherwise.
Whilst it is true that the government spent considerably more than this amount, the beneficiaries were generally not the targeted farmers but a series of better-off farmers. The Food Security Research Project in its Working Paper number 49 of January 2011 titled, ‘Who Gained and Who Lost from Zambia’s 2010 Maize Marketing Policies?’ revealed that the government’s 2010 maize policies produced both winners and losers – the government being winners and our poor farmers, the losers.
It stated that: “Because they raise maize prices, in the short-term, the government’s policies in 2010 positively affect households that sell maize: large-scale farmers and the roughly 26 per cent of smallholder households that sell more maize than they buy.
But the benefits of the high FRA buy price and large quantities purchased accrue to a small number of relatively better off medium-scale farmers that account for the majority of the maize sold by smallholders. By raising maize prices, the 2010 maize marketing policies negatively affect households that buy maize: urban consumers and the approximately 36 per cent of smallholder households that buy more maize than they sell...”
It is therefore important for our people to understand that in the 2010 government financial year, the Ministry of Agriculture was allocated K1.3 trillion. It requires little intelligence – if little is all that one has – to realise that agriculture is much bigger than maize production.
However, against this logic, we see that this same government by its own admission spent more than 100 per cent of its allocation to agriculture on maize grain input support and marketing! The 2011 budget allocation to agriculture is K1.23 trillion and yet again the government is poised to spend more than its own allocation to agriculture on maize.
From this wastefulness, we are well placed to confer the title of Minister of Maize on Kazonga and to indicate to our people that much of the alleged Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives allocated finances and time are spent on promotion of maize production. The magnitude of the impact of maize on the Treasury is such that its support is even greater than the entire allocation to health! This is scary and warrants questioning or some very serious reflections.
The 2011/2012 Food Balance Status shows that this marketing season has opened with carryover stocks of 848,606 tonnes of which 75 per cent or 636,000 tonnes are held by FRA. The rest are expected to be held by millers – mostly bought from FRA at government’s directed US $160 per tonne – traders and some farmers.
The irony of this is that those farmers who held on to their maize, expecting higher prices after planting, had a rude shock when Ronnie Shikapwasha, the Minister of Information and government spokesperson, announced that the government had directed the FRA to sell maize to millers at US $160 and for export at US $200.
This eliminated their market to local millers and made our maize expensive to the export market, particularly Zimbabwe, where 60 per cent of our exported maize is announced to have gone.
The high opening stock figures also indicate that we underperformed on our exports. Market players state that optimistically, FRA exported 300,000 tonnes of maize between October 2010 and now. And Kazonga stated that most of the carryover stocks are in safe storage under the FRA. No honest assessment has been made as to how much of this maize is actually fit for human consumption.
There are indications that most of the maize is bad or poorly stored. Further, the Food Security Research Programme indicated that the Treasury was losing almost US $100 per tonne for each tonne of maize exported due to the high purchase price it was bought at. The taxpayer absorbs these very high and unacceptable costs.
This government does not indicate to its people the impact on service delivery of these maize subsidies.
And the Crop Forecast Survey indicated that from the nationwide production figure, plus the carryover stocks, the country has total maize stocks of 3,868,986 tonnes.
However, this does not mean that all of this maize is readily available. Out of this total, when we subtract a statistical estimation of human consumption (maize meal and FRA net stocks of 240,000 tonnes), industrial use (stock feed breweries and seed) and modest five per cent losses, we remain with an estimation of national total surplus of 1,661,626 tonnes.
This does not mean that this is the amount of maize that has been securely stored or is available but it is a statistical indication of the amount of maize which is potentially available as a surplus given the allowances for the various local uses. It is therefore a misrepresentation to tell the nation that Zambia has recorded a surplus of 1.6 million tonnes.
It is equally a blatant lie for this government to tell our people that they will buy all their maize. This is a clear hallucination. However, the Crop Forecast Survey indicates that out of this total production of maize, farmers are expected to sell 1,619,622 tonnes. Of this, small and medium-scale farmers have produced 1,429,890 tonnes and this is supposed to be the group which FRA buys from.
If indeed this government is mad enough to want to buy all these potential sales, they need K1.86 trillion (about US $395 million). This level of expenditure does not include the costs of logistics and administration to get the maize from farmers to safe storage! Where is the Treasury going to find such gigantic sums of money?
Even if this money were sourced, what is the private sector expected to do? Are we going to see a situation where commercial banks start lending money to FRA guaranteed by the government or the organising of strange financing deals for the government?
One would not be far off the mark to suggest that this maize fiasco is a calculated scheme motivated by self-enrichment and preservation of the current regime.
Rupiah Banda and his friends should reveal to our people how much was spent on maize in 2010, how much was raised from exports and how much has been lost from subsidies.
This information must be made available before the taxpayer is asked to pay more for maize. The price of tomatoes recently crashed due to over-production but we did not see government rush in to intervene. Over a week ago, the government announced it was going to spend K1 trillion on roads.
Why should the Treasury spend so much money on maize grain at the expense of service provision in sectors such as health and education and on safe drinking water and roads? We know that where there is chaos, someone is overly benefiting. What would happen if law enforcement agencies such as the Anti Corruption Commission and Drug Enforcement Commission investigated the government and FRA officials handling these maize purchases and sales, especially exports? How have their assets increased since they started handling maize?
Greed may be acceptable with one’s own money but to pay lip service, deceive our farmers and use taxpayers’ funds to further hoodwink them is pure evil and must come to an end. Let us put an end to the maize fiasco!
Labels: BRIAN TEMBO, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, MAIZE
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Banana farmers won’t be compensated - Kazonga
By Bright Mukwasa and Mutale Kapekele
Sat 12 Mar. 2011, 04:00 CAT
THE
government will not compensate ba-nana farmers whose infected plantations are earmarked for destruction, says agriculture minister Dr Eustarkio Kazonga.
Making a ministerial statement in Parliament on Wednesday, Dr Kazonga said the banana bunchy top disease (BBTD), which had spread to other provinces apart from Southern Province, was negatively affecting banana farmers.
“The government has no plan to compensate the farmers once it destroys diseased plants as it is for their own good,” Dr Kazonga said.
He said the disease, the origin of which was unknown, had forced some farmers to abandon banana cultivation.
“The potential for banana production in Zambia is very high, estimated at 60 metric tonnes per hectare annually. This potential is under threat by the spread of BBTV,” he said.
He said surveys carried out in 2009 and last year indicated the presence of the disease about 11 years ago in Chipata, although it was reported less than ten years ago in other districts.
Dr Kazonga said the government was encouraging farmers to apply stringent control measures, including the uprooting and destruction of infected crops as a control measure.
He said the government was facing a challenge in controlling the disease because of a lack of a reliable source of disease materials.
“In 2007, a survey of 20 farms covering about 212 hectares of farms under banana cultivation in Central and Copperbelt provinces revealed a 65 per cent infection,” he said.
Dr Kazonga the government would establish a farmer-based banana seed system through production of tissue cultured disease-free planting materials.
BBTD has been identified in Lusaka, Southern, Central, Copperbelt and Luapula provinces.
The disease is transmitted by a virus called banana bunchy top virus.
Labels: COMPENSATION, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, FARMERS
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COMMENT - 82,000 tonnes of maize exported to the DRC at $200 per tonne, that is a cool $16.4 million. And who said there is no money in agriculture again? That's almost as much as ZCCM-IH received in dividend payments ($18mn). (Not that this is an excuse for ZCCM-IH to receive paltry dividends, they should have received at least $300 mn - I'm just saying.)
Western, Northern rice farmers to get inputs
By Mutale Kapekele
Fri 03 Dec. 2010, 04:01 CAT
ZAMBIA has introduced inputs support to rice farmers in Northern and Western provinces to boost production in the 2010-2011 farming season. The country has a rice deficit and depends on imports from Malawi and Asia to satisfy local demand.
Agriculture minister Dr Eustarkio Kazonga (left) on Wednesday disclosed that the government had already acquired 30 metric tonnes of rice seed that would be distributed in nine pilot districts of the two provinces.
As part of the agriculture diversification programme, Kazonga said the government was encouraging farmers to grow more groundnuts, mixed beans, cassava and other crops.
He also disclosed that 82,000 metric tonnes of maize had been exported to Congo DR and Zimbabwe at around US$200 per tonne.
The government set an export target of 300,000 metric tonnes of maize but Kazonga says the amount could rise to 500,000 metric tonnes as long as it did not affect local demand.
And Food and Agriculture Organisation country representative Dr Nouredin Mona advised Zambia to come up with a mechanism of giving low interest loans to small-scale farmers to increase their output and assist them to graduate to commercial farming.
In Zambia, agriculture contributes 18 to 20 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides a livelihood to more than 50 per cent of the population most of whom are rural based.
Labels: EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, FISP, MAIZE
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COMMENT - Minister Eustarkio Kazonga looks like a very good guy. Maybe the AG's office has someone on loan to track down corrupt elements in the FRA. Farmers should be paid on delivery.
Kazonga sends warning shots to FRA
By LusakaTimes
Monday, December 6, 2010, 9:02
Agriculture Minister, Dr. Eustarkio Kazonga has said the Food Reserve Agency has exported about 83, 000 metric tonnes of Maize to Zimbabwe while about 300, 000 metric tonnes more has been advertised for sale eying Congolese market.
Speaking during the national Watch program on ZNBC yesterday, Dr. Kazonga said plans were also underway to overhaul the crop marketing system in the country.
Dr Kazonga says his ministry has developed models of how the crops marketing should be conducting in the country and said he would present the models to cabinet for approval.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kazonga said he was aware of corruption elements in the payment systems of farmers who had supplied maize to the agency.
“Reports have been received of such irregularities in the payment system. Some farmers who supplied maize to FRA earlier have not yet gotten payment but those who supplied later on have been cleared. That is unacceptable, I am asking the farmers to report such acts and anyone who who will be found wanting will be dealt with at whatever level,” Kazonga said.
He also announced that the distribution of inputs to farmers is nearly complete with 90 percent of seeds and 70 percent of the fertilizer distributed so far throughout the country.
Dr Kazonga said government anticipates another bumper harvest of three million metric tonnes this season.
He said government is currently looking for funds to construct and rehabilitate silos in readiness for the bumper harvest next year.
“I have instructed the new board at FRA to start preparing for next year’s harvest, this issue of starting to look for empty bags in September and October will not be tolerated,” he said.
Dr Kazonga said so far government has spent 11 million dollars constructing storage facilities in Mbala,Chambishi, Petauke,Kapiri,Chisamba Mufumbwe and Kaluma in Southern province.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, FRA
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Libya, Zambia boost trade relations - Ambassador Swiexi
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sat 25 Sep. 2010, 04:01 CAT
LIBYAN ambassador Khalifa Omar Swiexi has said his country and Zambia are working towards enhancing and developing economic and trade relations through investments in communication and tourism.
And local government and housing minister Dr Eustarckio Kazonga has said it would be important for Zambia and Libya to ensure that continental unity was preserved at all times in collective march towards political and economic integration.
Speaking at the 41st anniversary of the September 1st Revolution or Libyan day in Lusaka on Thursday, Ambassador Swiexi commended Zambia’s past presidents and President Rupiah Banda for deepening the Libya-Zambia relationship.
“This confirms their keenness of strengthening the relations between the two sister countries and to achieve the aspirations of the two peoples, as they also consult and coordinate their stands for the benefit of the people of the continent to achieve their dream of unity,” said Ambassador Swiexi.
And Dr Kazonga said the Zambian government was appreciative of the friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation that had characterized the bilateral relations.
Dr Kazonga called for unity among African countries.
Former president Frederick Chiluba and his wife Regina, former first lady Maureen Mwanawasa, Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi were among the grandees that attended the celebrations at Taj Pamodzi Hotel.
Labels: EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, KHALIFA OMAR SWIEXI, LIBYA, TRADE
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Kazonga bemoans vandalism on water, sanitation infrastructure
By Agness Changala
Thu 15 July 2010, 04:01 CAT
LOCAL government and housing minister Eustarckio Kazonga has bemoaned the high levels of vandalism on water and sanitation infrastructure.
Officiating at the chief executive officers meeting in Lusaka, Dr Kazonga said curbing vandalism to infrastructure was an important aspect which local authorities must assist.
“A case in point is the rampant flooding of sewerage in Mufulira, largely as a result of deliberate vandalism of infrastructure,” he said.
Kazonga said such malicious acts endangered lives and the public must also take responsibility to ensure that persons vandalising infrastructure were brought to book.
He said the country should not allow vandalism to become endemic as was the case with cholera, which was reported every season.
“I would like to earnestly see cholera become a story of the past as public health is a serious concern to all of us,” he said.
Kazonga said commercial water utilities had a very big role to play in reducing such epidemics.
He urged commercial utilities to form a small committee and put together a proposal to have zero-rating for VAT purposes and other issues that he should present to finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane for further action.
And Kazonga said the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (UWSSP) which the ministry had developed would be finalised before the end of the year.
He said the objective of the programme was to raise resources for the sub sector in order to deal with capital investments, capacity development and issues relating to solid waste management and drainages.
He, however, demanded that resources mobilised are seen to be increasing and improving access, quality and reliability of service delivery.
Labels: EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, MUFULIRA, UTILITIES
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Dr Kazonga warns officers misappropriating donor funds
By Agness Changala
Thu 27 May 2010, 04:00 CAT
LOCAL government and housing minister Dr Eustarckio Kazonga has said officers misappropriating donor funds will be reported to the police for investigations and possible prosecution.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Kazonga said the end of year financial audits which the ministry had started carrying out were meant to ensure that public resources and donor funds were prudently utilised.
“We will ensure that the process of auditing is done at every financial year and we will take action by making sure that culprits are reported to police for further investigations and possible prosecutions,” Dr Kazonga said.
He said other than handing over culprits to the police, administrative measures such as dismissals and suspensions would be effected.
Dr Kazonga said the re-introduction of the local government service commission Act was one the measures being put in place to try and promote accountability.
He said the government was also building capacity of staff in local authorities so as to improve financial management.
Dr Kazonga disclosed that the local government service Act had withdrawn powers from the councilors to recruit staff.
“Councilors now will not recruit staff because they are no longer responsible and it will also allow for transferring staff because before that, staff was not transferable and this crippled many councils,” he said.
Dr Kazonga said it would now be possible to transfer one member of staff from one council to the other where a qualified staff was needed to improve the delivery of services.
Dr Kazonga said the Act had extended the term of office for the mayor from one to two and half years.
He explained that if a mayor serves two terms, he/she would serve five years, coinciding with the timeframe under which general elections are held.
Dr Kazonga said two and half years would give enough time to the mayor to settle and familiarise themselves with work compared to one year which he said was too short.
Labels: EUSTARKIO KAZONGA
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Committee orders for Mumbwa acting council secretary’s dismissal
By Namatama Mundia
Wed 19 May 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE Parliamentary Committee on Local Governance yesterday directed local government minister Dr Eustarkio Kazonga to fire Mumbwa council acting secretary Dominic Simasiku and deputy treasurer Christopher Sianga for not having the capacity to handle money which they collect.
The committee chaired by Mfuwe PF member of parliament Mwimba Malama expressed disappointment with Mumbwa council for not maintaining their cash book despite the local authority’s collection revenue of K1 billion per month.
The statutory audit report and inspection report revealed that Mumbwa management had failed to keep accurate and updated ledgers so as to provide an overview of the state of affairs of the council. It also indicated that the council had no payroll system in place.
The report further revealed that the accounting systems and internal controls at the council were weak especially on procurement and payment processes. It indicated that the council procured a vehicle, an Isuzu KB300 Reg No ABD 2690 at a cost of K90.7 million without the authority of the district tender committee.
It also highlighted that the council fraudulently prepared receipts and payment statements and that the cashbooks had not been balanced.
It was against this background that the committee recommended for the removal of Simasiku from the council and also directed the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to investigate the local authority.
And Malama said the committee was unhappy with the way Mumbwa council was being run.
Namwala UPND member of parliament Major Robbie Chizyuka expressed disgust at Mumbwa council saying despite the local authority collecting K1 billion, Mumbwa was the dirtiest town in Zambia.
“I am totally disgusted with Mumbwa, we ranked other district councils as being the worst but I think Mumbwa is the worst,” he said.
Chiengi MMD member of parliament Dr Katele Kalumba said prioritisation of service delivery in councils was still a problem.
He said he expects councils to give reasonable services to people.
Meanwhile, Simasiku and Sianga survived being sent to prison for two days for not following procedure in the operation of the council.
The committee directed the duo to leave the room as the parliamentarians discussed whether to have them detained in prison or not.
However, the committee exercised leniency and warned the council authorities to take the parliamentarians’ observations seriously.
Malama expressed frustration at the poor performance of the council and said the two were lucky to escape detention.
“You are lucky that we have decided not to lock you up, you are the richest council, you pay LASF, NAPSA and salaries are up to date. See how you have frustrated this committee, we sent you out to refresh ourselves, you would have spent a night in cells,” said Malama.
Labels: EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, MWIMBA MALAMA
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Milanzi victory shows Rupiah is on strong ground – Kazonga
By Chibaula Silwamba and Christopher Miti in Milanzi
Sat 01 May 2010, 04:30 CAT
OUR victory in Milanzi demonstrates that President Rupiah Banda is on very strong ground, MMD campaign manager for the just-ended Milanzi by-elections Dr Eustarckio Kazonga said yesterday.
Milanzi constituency by-elections returning officer Mukiti Lukonga declared MMD’s Whiteson Banda duly elected member of parliament for Milanzi constituency after polling 5, 120 votes against Patriotic Front (PF)’s Albert Banda who polled 2, 347 and UNIP’s Musa Banda got 2, 194 votes in elections held on Thursday.
In an interview, Dr Kazonga said Whiteson’s victory proved the confidence that the people of Milanzi have in President Banda, his government and the ruling party.
“As I indicated at the beginning of the campaign that ours will be issue based campaign and indeed we are able to sale our programme to the people of Milanzi and the people understood what we are doing and what we are going to do for them. The President is on very strong ground as demonstrated by these results,” Dr Kazonga said.
Whiteson said he was humbled that President Banda, the MMD national executive committee and the whole party machinery supported his candidature and pledged to help develop the constituency.
Asked if he had expected to win by a landslide, Whiteson responded: “I expected to win by this wide margin because people supported me, people really wanted me to be their MP.”
He urged the losing candidates to work with him because their interests too were to develop Milanzi. Whiteson, 35, also advised youths to join him in developing Milanzi.
“I want to encourage the young ones that they should join politics because us the youths are the future leaders. I am encouraging the young people to join politics,” Whiteson said.
“As member of parliament, my first priority is road network as you know in order for development to go well, we need proper road network. Milanzi is a rural constituency. People are farmers and once the farmer harvests he needs to take his produce to the market. So if you have good roads that is good.”
And MMD Eastern Province chairperson Kennedy Zulu said the wide margin between Whiteson and Albert Banda was an indication that the province was no go area for the opposition.
“The difference is more than 100 per cent. Even putting the two parties, UNIP and PF together we will still hammer them,” said Zulu.
“I want to thank the people of Milanzi for behaving themselves in a civil way because issues of violence were very minimal. This is the way it should be. To the opposition, Eastern Province is no go area for the opposition; we are strongly behind our President Rupiah Banda.”
And a consortium of elections observers – AVAP, SACCORD and Caritas Zambia – stated that the election largely reflected the wishes of the majority people of Milanzi constituency.
In a communiqué at the end of the by-elections, the three organisations stated that campaigns were peaceful but lacked content as the politicians concentrated on character assassination and “name calling”.
“We noted across all political parties that in their quest to win votes, they used food donations, cash exchange and sponsoring beer,” they stated.
They observed that the public media concentrated on the MMD candidate whereas the private media focused on the PF candidate.
“The reportage of this election left much to be desired in terms of language. Issues and seemed like it was a presidential race rather than parliamentary elections. This had the effect of overshadowing the candidates,” the civic organizations stated.
They stated that the polling day was peaceful, the turnout was fairly good and the majority of voters being women.
However, they observed that at Chamiwawa polling station, police officers were found managing voters.
“The counting was done to the satisfaction of the parties,” they stated, adding that the announcement and collation of results was transparent.
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, MMD
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Chiefs should always be impartial on matters to do with politics – Madzimawe
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sun 04 Apr. 2010, 04:01 CAT
HOUSE of Chiefs chairperson chief Madzimawe has described Eastern Province MMD chairperson Kennedy Zulu's sentiments that the party would consider Milanzi chiefs' recommendations in the adoption of their candidate as mere politicking.
And Milanzi by-election MMD campaign manager Dr Eustarckio Kazonga said MMD would embark on issue-based campaigns in the area. In an interview last Thursday, chief Madzimawe said traditional leaders should always be impartial on matters to do with politics.
“I think the PEC MMD provincial executive committee chairperson was just politicking when he issued that statement. I think that message was targeted at other political parties like the opposition trying to scare them that they MMD have the backing of the chiefs but chiefs are non-partisan and they are supposed to be impartial,” chief Madzimawe said.
He said chiefs only advocated for better candidates who could represent the people well once elected.
“All the parties should present better candidates so that they could be able to represent the people better in an event that they are voted into office. I think what chief Kathumba said on this issue was very good because people need a credible representative,” chief Madzimawe said.
He urged political parties taking part in both the Milanzi and Mufumbwe by-elections to conduct peaceful campaigns.
“You know people should realise that although they belong to different political parties they are brothers and sisters, they are members of the same family and so they should embrace each other. We don't want anybody to preach violence in these areas during the campaigns,” chief Madzimawe said. “They should leave these places the way they will find them. We don't want any damage to property and other bad things to happen.”
And Dr Kazonga, who is also local government minister and Vubwi member of parliament, said the MMD would base their campaign on issues.
“We are going to explain our programmes that we are carrying out that we are going to present to the people of Milanzi. Ours is issue-based campaign, government has done a lot in that area and we are going there to explain what government is doing,” Dr Kazonga said.
He said the people of Milanzi were able to see what government was doing.
When asked to comment on White Banda who was adopted on the MMD ticket, Dr Kazonga said he had not yet officially received the name of the candidate.
“I was out of office so I have just reported to the office today. I haven't received the name of the candidate officially but I am the campaign manager,” Dr Kazonga said.
Dr Kazonga denied reports that his ministry had called chief Kathumba of Katete to Lusaka because he was seemingly opposed to the MMD candidate.
Sources said some traditional leaders in Milanzi preferred 2006 Sinda losing MMD parliamentary candidate Zebron Banda to White Banda.
Earlier, chief Kathumba said it was not his preoccupation to take part in the selection of political candidates.
Chief Kathumba advised all the parties taking part in the by-election to adopt credible people.
UNIP has adopted Musa Banda, MMD has adopted White Banda while PF-UPND has adopted Albert Banda.
The Milanzi by-election is slated for April 29.
Labels: CHIEF MADZIMAWE, CHIEFS, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, KENNEDY ZULU, POLITICS
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Kazonga challenges councils to improve service delivery
By Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Fri 02 Apr. 2010, 04:00 CAT
LOCAL government minister Dr Eustarckio Kazonga has challenged councils countrywide to improve on their service delivery to the people. Dr Kazonga said most councils in the country were not providing adequate services to the people.
“Most of our cities and towns are today filled with heaps and heaps of uncollected garbage. These heaps of garbage found mostly at markets, stores, cemeteries, backyards, along streets and open spaces continue to increase in height and size due to high generation of garbage that does not match the collection and disposal to designated places,” said Dr Kazonga when he officially opened the newly constructed Zambia National Marketeers Association (ZANAMA) offices at Kitwe’s Chisokone market on Wednesday.
“The mountains of garbage have become not only unsightly, but also a source of diseases and a breeding ground for houseflies, mosquitoes which are major vehicles in the spread of diseases.”
Dr Kazonga also directed local authorities to implement measures such as strictly monitoring all developments in markets and establish permanent fire safety committees in liaison with the local fire brigade.
“Fire protection and fire-fighting equipment should be deployed accordingly as part of fire disaster preparedness and the council, in liaison with water utility companies, should provide fire hydrants in all markets and other designated areas with adequate water supply,” Dr Kazonga said.
He said there was need to have high standards of hygiene in the markets.
“Therefore, designated refuse disposal points should be established and quick disposal measures be effected to avoid unnecessary piling of unwanted garbage,” he said.
Dr Kazonga said markets should not be used as grounds for political campaigns but that marketeers should strive to maintain peace in the trading places.
“Let me take this opportunity to remind all of us that the new markets and bus stations Act No.7 of 2007 is now in force and that the public and local authorities are required to comply with the provisions of the law. Let us maintain peace and security in all our markets in the country. We want our marketeers to trade freely so that people also buy from these markets freely,” he said.
Dr Kazonga appealed to street vendors to leave the streets and trade from designated places.
“I expect the Kitwe City Council to guide the traders to designated places. With such measures in place, I expect those vending in the streets to co-operate so that streets become safe streets once again,” Dr Kazonga said.
And ZANAMA chairman general Elvis Nkandu said the association would continue working and supporting the government.
“If the government changes, we are going to support that particular government that will come in. But as for now we are supporting this government,” he said.
Nkandu urged the government to take extra care of the informal sector, which was growing daily.
Nkandu also asked the government to ensure that council officers in senior position were transferred from one town to another.
He said if council officers overstayed in one position, they intended to abuse their authority.
“We know that here in Kitwe some people’s contracts will come to an end on 12 April, so we appealing to government not to renew these people’s contracts,” Nkandu said.
About K157 million was spent to construct the new offices after the old offices were burnt by some marketeers who were protesting against the alleged beating of their colleague by ZANAMA security neighbourhood officials last year and his subsequent death.
Labels: COUNCILS, ELVIS NKANDU, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, ZANAMA
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Kazonga justifies conditions for councils to access grants
By Agness Changala in Siavonga
Wed 03 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT
LOCAL government minister Dr Eustarckio Kazonga has advised councils not to view conditions attached to accessing grants as a punishment, but as a process of strengthening their ability to perform effectively.
Officiating at the Local Government Grant System (LGGS) consultative workshop with the media and NGOs in Siavonga on Monday, Dr Kazonga advised councils to critically look at the legal and regulatory framework and begin making amends where there were not in conformity with legal requirements so that they are responsive to the conditions that would enable them access grants.
“The conditions of access should not be viewed as punishment to councils that may not qualify, but should be seen as a process leading to strengthening council’s ability to perform effectively,” he said.
Dr Kazonga said the manual that provided guidelines for access to grants had been developed and failure to meet the minimum conditions may lead to withholding disbursement to the affected councils pending remedial action.
Dr Kazonga said the government had also restructured the LGGS by consolidating a myriad of grants as contained in the local government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia into three main grants.
“The objective of restructuring the grant is to ensure greater autonomy in the management and utilisation of financial resources by democratic institutions (councils),” Dr Kazonga said.
In addition to restructuring grants, Dr Kazonga said the government had introduced a formula based grants conditioned by performance.
Dr Kazonga said the restructured grant system needed supportive sub systems for it to be beneficial to the overall decentralisation reform programme.
Labels: EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, GRANTS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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2009 disbursement of grants to councils delights Kazonga
By Sututu Katundu
Wed 06 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
LOCAL government minister Eustarckio Kazonga has said the disbursement of government grants to councils and other institutions under the ministry increased significantly in 2009 compared to the previous three years.
During a press briefing yesterday, Kazonga said
this was the first time all the approved grants to councils had been released in full by the government through the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to his ministry compared to 2006, 2007 and 2008 despite the global economic downturn experienced last year.
“The government support in form of grants to councils is meant for strengthening their capacities in terms of service provision to local communities and to supplement their locally generated incomes in meeting their recurrent operational costs,” he said.
Kazonga said towards the end of last year, the government released a full amount of K110,320,000.00 approved by parliament in the 2009 national budget under his ministry.
“Additionally K21.4 billion will be released to 18 selected district councils as capital grant soon. I want to confirm that the bank process of transferring Constituency Development Funds (CDF) and grants which include recurrent and restructuring to constituencies and councils’ bank accounts was finalised on Monday, 21st December, 2009,” Kazonga said.
He directed all town clerks and council secretaries to check the receipt of the funds in their councils’ bank accounts maintained in various commercial banks countrywide.
Kazonga advised the local authorities to utilise the funds for deserving projects, programmes and activities in compliance with the local authorities (financial) regulations and the current CDF guidelines.
“The government shall not condone mismanagement of these funds and the law shall visit anyone found wanting,” Kazonga said.
And 67 out of a total of seventy-two councils in the country have submitted their annuals budgets of revenue, expenditure and capital estimates for 2010 to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing for scrutinisation.
The ministry’s directives and instructions which the councils adhered to include, among others, the prioritisation of their available resources to various programmes and activities in order to meet their set objectives and targets, only included estimates for capital projects with confirmed funding from council, central government or donors and incorporation of prudent revenue projections taking into account challenges faced in 2009 with a targeted own revenues of 75 per cent as well as adequate budgeting for recurrent expenses based on the available resources in 2010.
Effective this year, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing will distribute government grants to councils in accordance with the inter-governmental fiscal transfer system whose main objective is to enhance predictability and transparency in the disbursements of grants.
Meanwhile, K100 billion CDF has been budgeted for under capital estimates on the basis of the number of constituencies.
The provisions of the CDF has been increased from K600,000,000.00 per constituency in 2009 to K666,000,000,000.00 per constituency this year.
Kazonga said the CDF guidelines would be revised to take into account some of the challenges faced by councils in implementing the previous CDF projects and enhance accountability and transparency in disbursement of public funds.
“I therefore, want to inform the nation that I have approved the 67 annual budgets of revenue, expenditure and capital for 2010 with amounts totalling K3,860,068,718,708.00 pursuant to powers vested in me under section 39(1) of the local government act, cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia on 5th January, 2010,” he said.
The ministry has not received 2010 budgets from Livingstone City Council and Sinazongwe district council from Southern province, Mungwi district council in Northern Province, and Mansa municipal and Mwense district councils in Luapula Province.
Kazonga reminded the councils to ensure that an evaluation process of their performance was conducted by comparing the actual performance against the approved provisions.
Labels: COUNCILS, DECENTRALIZATION, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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Rupiah reshuffles govt
By Staff Reporter
Thu 26 Nov. 2009, 09:30 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has reshuffled his Cabinet with defence deputy minister Eustarkio Kazonga being appointed as new local government and housing minister. Announcing the changes in a statement yesterday, special assistant to the President for Press and public relations Dickson Jere, said the changes had been prompted to improve service delivery to the people in the country.
Under the changes, the President Banda has promoted Kazongo to a full Cabinet minister at the local government and housing ministry to replace Benny Tetamashimba who died in September.
With a call to help stabilize the erratic flow of fuel in the country, President Banda has transferred Hastings Imasiku from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training to the Ministry of Energy and Water Development in the same deputy minister capacity while Gladys Lundwe who served as energy ministry deputy minister has been taken to the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Child Development.
Chitambo member of parliament Solomon Musonda has been appointed deputy minister of health, taking over from Mwendoi Akakandelwa who has been moved to the Ministry of Energy and Water Development in the same capacity.
Kalabo member of parliament Sikwibele Mwapela has been appointed deputy minister of Western Province, replacing Adons Mufalalai who has moved to the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.
North-Western Province deputy minister, Joseph Mulyata has been moved to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives taking over from Daniel Kalenga now becomes deputy in North-Western Province.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting deputy minister Elijah Muchima has been moved to Local Government and Housing, while sports, youth and child development deputy minister Angela Cifire has moved to the information ministry in the same capacity.
At the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, deputy minister Moses Muteteka has been moved to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing in the same capacity.
Deputy minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development Christopher Kalila has been moved to the Ministry of Works and Supply in the same capacity, while deputy minister at Local Government and Housing Lwipa Puma, has been moved to the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry.
President Banda has transferred Chrispin Musosha, deputy minister of Local Government and Housing to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training, while deputy minister of Works and Supply Mundia Ndalamei has been moved to Sport, Youth and Child Development in the same capacity.
Others changes involve deputy minister of commerce, trade and industry Richard Taima, who has been moved to the Ministry of Education in the same capacity, while deputy Minister of Energy and Water Development Allan Mbewe has been moved to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
At permanent secretary level, President Banda has appointed former Football Association of Zambia president Teddy Mulonga as the new permanent secretary at the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development. Mulonga was among the MMD party candidates that had applied to stand for the Solwezi parliamentary seat which was won by the UPND-PF pact.
Lusaka City Council town clerk Timothy Hakayu has been appointed permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Housing while former banker Sherry Thole has been appointed permanent secretary in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training.
Other new appointed permanent secretaries include Medson Lisati at the Management Development Division at Cabinet Office and Gabriel Kaunda who would be permanent secretary at the Ministry of Gender.
Gender permanent secretary Matondo Monde Yeta has been moved to the Ministry of Lands, while Ngosa Chisupa has been moved from the Management Division to the information ministry.
Tourism and natural resources permanent secretary Teddy Kasonso has been transferred to the Ministry of Energy and Water Development, while community development and social services permanent secretary Gladys Kristafor has been moved to the Ministry of Tourism.
The president has also appointed Menda Menda to take over as community development and social services permanent secretary while former State House senior private secretary, Alfred Sakala has been appointed deputy permanent secretary in Luapula Province.
Labels: CABINET, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, RUPIAH BANDA
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