Police search Lungwangwa
By Kombe Chimpinde
Thu 26 Apr. 2012, 13:50 CAT
POLICE yesterday swooped on Professor Geoffrey Lungwan-gwa's farmhouse in Lusaka West in search of guns. The search, which lasted three and a half hours, began at 13: 00 hours.
During a check at his farmhouse around 15:00 hours, The Post found about 10 plain-clothed police officers with Prof Lungwangwa, who is former transport minister and current MMD member of parliament for Nalikwanda, and his lawyer Maureen Simulele of CL Mundia and Company.
Upon seeing journalists, police officers immediately ordered the workers to close the gate and keep the journalists away.
Later in an interview, Lungwangwa who spoke through his lawyer Simulele said the police officers had a search warrant for illegal firearms and other related materials.
"The police did come through at one o'clock with a search warrant which stated they were searching for items concealed in the premises of Prof Lungwangwa, illegal possession of firearms and other related materials. They have however left a statement saying they have not found anything," Simulele said.
And when contacted for a comment, police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela confirmed a search had been conducted but that she could not give any details by press time.
Later, Kanjela said they searched on allegations that Prof Lungwangwa had received and was in possession of firearms.
Labels: CORRUPTION, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA
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Corruption and the Chinese
By The Post
Tue 19 July 2011, 14:00 CAT
Corruption is a big problem for Zambia. It cannot be denied that corruption in the public sector is, to a very large extent, responsible for the poor and sometimes very shoddy delivery of public services.
The infrastructure projects that Rupiah Banda’s government likes to brag about are a shameful reminder of how corruption is a problem for the country because many of them are so shabbily executed that there is nothing to be proud about.In view of the fact that corruption has such a pervasive effect on our lives, it is important for us all to prioritise the fight against it. Corruption benefits nobody except the very few who are engaged in it.
As we head to the polls in the next few weeks, it is important that we all take a stand against this cancer that has blighted our country. We need to say no to politicians who have made the defence of corruption and the corrupt their mission in politics.
We say this because corruption is a murderous crime that deprives many of our people of their right to life. A bribe here and a bribe there results in poor medical services, which means that when our people need essential medical care, they may not be able to access it because of corruption. In this sense, corruption becomes a murderous crime that must be fought with vigour. We know that in places like China, corruption is actually a capital offence.
Our friends in China know that allowing corruption to flourish is a danger to the very existence of the state of China. Recently when the Chinese Communist Party celebrated 90 years of its existence, President Hu Jintao sounded a note of caution, warning that the party risked dying if it did not deal with corruption, which was alienating it from the masses of the people.
In particular, he stressed that punishing and effectively preventing corruption was key to winning people’s support and determining the life or death of the party. President Hu stressed that the fight against corruption remained serious and the task was arduous. He added that corruption would cost the party the support and trust of people.
China is the second most prosperous nation in the world today. In comparison to a country like Zambia, it can be said that maybe they can afford some corruption by the sheer size of their economy.
But the Chinese are not fooled by meaningless statistics and gross domestic product figures. The Chinese Communist Party knows that to remain relevant, they have to meet the needs and aspirations of the people. They realise that corruption militates against the realisation of those goals.
This is why it should not surprise anyone that on the occasion of a significant anniversary for the Chinese Communist Party, Hu Jintao chose to address something which, as a good politician, he realised was close to the minds and feelings of many ordinary Chinese. He realised that unless the party hierarchy addressed the felt needs of the people, the alienation that would result risked engulfing the party and obliterating it from existence.
This is why we need to do a similar exercise in our country. We need to take an honest review of where corruption has left us and decide whether it is a worthy companion. Clearly, we will all come to the conclusion that corruption is not an evil that should be condoned because it translates into poor maternal health, high infant mortality, poor access to education for most of our people, lack of employment and a general deprivation that consigns the vast majority of our people to a life of poverty, hopelessness and early death. This is what corruption does to us. And this is the system that Rupiah and his minions seem prepared to defend and perpetuate.
They do not seem to have a real feeling of compassion about the suffering of our people. Rupiah and his minions have detached the need to deliver basic services to our people from their need to remain in power. In other words, they do not want to be elected so that they provide services to our people but they want to pretend to provide services so that they can be elected. This raises the question: why do they want to be elected? Since it is clear that they do not want to be elected in order to provide services - they want to pretend to provide services so that they can be elected - we need to understand what their real motivation for seeking power is.
When this issue is critically analysed, it has to be said that corruption and the abuse of power and the benefits that that can bring to them personally has to be a major incentive for the kind of industry that they engage in to retain power. Is it possible that Rupiah and his family are enjoying the benefits of power so much that even when they are abusing their positions, they do not see it as abuse?
Could it be that they have gotten used to receiving gifts from road contractors and other government contractors that they regard it as normal? Could this provide the explanation why certain contractors in places like the Eastern Province are being forced onto the people when their failure to deliver is well-known and well-documented?
Not too long ago, Rupiah shocked many well-meaning Zambians when he publicly declared that there is no corruption in Zambia. He also advised that people should not listen to those that suggest that there is corruption in Zambia. Did Rupiah say this because he genuinely believes that there is no corruption in Zambia? Or is there something more serious happening? It seems to us that Rupiah now realises that many people know about what he has been up to; how he has acquired property under all sorts of aliases.
Within weeks of becoming President, Rupiah had enough money to start acquiring property. Could this be the problem that is bothering him? Is this why he is saying that there is no corruption in this country? We have not forgotten that soon thereafter, his government moved very speedily to disband the Task Force on Corruption. After they had achieved that, they also made sure that they butchered the Anti Corruption Commission Act by removing the provision on abuse of office that required public officers to account for the wealth, property or advantage that they acquired using their positions. Is this why Rupiah is saying there is no corruption in Zambia now? If Rupiah meant well for the country, he would take the position that Hu Jintao has taken. Rupiah would realise that embracing corruption would kill his party and along with it, destroy the nation. This is what great leaders do.
Rupiah should not think that our people have forgotten about the involvement of his family in the scandalous privatisation of Zamtel. His own sons were connected to this unfortunate transaction. And one day, the truth that we know about this transaction will be told to the nation. Our nation will know who received bags full of money on the tarmac of Tripoli Airport in Libya before this dreadful transaction was consummated. Rupiah and his people should know that even walls have got ears and eyes to see when corruption is being conducted. The people that guard you today become witnesses against you tomorrow. The people that you send to collect money from contractors today become witnesses against you tomorrow.
We have not forgotten that when Rupiah was criticised for selling Zamtel by some opposition figures, he retorted, saying he would sell whatever he could and they can come and sell what he leaves behind. That is his attitude.
We are therefore not surprised that today, his ministers of finance and transport, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane and Prof Geoffrey Lungwangwa respectively, are trying to defend the indefensible by saying there is nothing strange about them opening negotiations on the possible public private partnership concessioning of the Lusaka International Airport to Guris Holdings of Turkey.
When intelligent people like Musokotwane and Lungwangwa stop seeing the absurdity of what is going on, then you know that the country is in trouble. We say this because how can they say there is nothing unusual about opening negotiations with Guris?
Firstly, this is a few weeks before an election. Why are they in such a hurry to negotiate such an important issue just before an election? Is it possible that as seems to be the standard now, Rupiah’s family has an interest somewhere? Could there be a Dingani or Henry connection somewhere? Why the rush? Why should they be doing such an important transaction for the public under a cloud of mystery? Who is negotiating? How did the contact with Guris come about? It is a well-known fact that like bacteria, corruption thrives in dirty dark places. Transparency is an enemy of corruption. Those who are pushing these kinds of transactions should know that one day, they will have to give an account.
We appeal to our people to hold their leaders to the standard that Hu Jintao of China proposed to the Chinese Communist Party. Let those who want to lead us commit themselves to fighting corruption. The Chinese are ruthless when it comes to fighting corruption in their own country. We hope that that ruthlessness extends to dealing with corruption when they deal with our country. This is what will make the Chinese real friends of our people. We should respect and emulate the standard that Hu Jintao has set.
Labels: CHINESE, CORRUPTION, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, RUPIAH BANDA, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE, ZAMTEL
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Prof Lungwangwa questions HH’s criticism over Zamtel sale
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Tue 15 June 2010, 13:10 CAT
COMMUNICATIONS and Transport minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa has said opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s statement criticising the sale of 75 per cent shares of Zamtel lacks originality.
During a special programme on Breeze FM last Saturday, Prof Lungwangwa said it was unfortunate that Hichilema said the PF-UPND pact would reverse the sale of Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (Zamtel) once it gets into power.
“First of all, he has been part of the privatisation process from the beginning, he has been part of that and he knows exactly the underlining objective of the nation with regard to privatisation and he knows exactly what this particular privatisation has been in terms of its history, the efforts that have been made before to try and privatise Zamtel,” Prof Lungwangwa said.
He said Hichilema was very much aware of the state of Zamtel.
“Zamtel had over 2,500 workers, it has been making losses in terms of its operation, it hasn’t been competing effectively with other operators like ZAIN and MTN. And Zamtel was on the verge of collapse. Now if a person like HH, Hakainde Hichilema applied to seriously understand what was at stake he would actually appreciate what government has done,” Prof Lungwangwa said.
“The government has been able to find an equity partner who can inject resources into Zamtel and make it more operational, save it from collapse in order to address the needs of the workers.”
He said government expects Zamtel workers to get their benefits unlike workers in other companies before who were not able to get their benefits.
“Zamtel workers are going to get hundred per cent of their benefits, now isn’t that a privatisation process which is in the best interest of the workers? And then we expect Lap Green(the company which bought 75 per cent in Zamtel) to get into Zamtel a recapitalisation process which will make Zamtel compete effectively with other operators in the market so that Zambians can get full benefit in owning investment in Zamtel. Now isn’t that a step in the interest of the nation? And we expect Zamtel through Lap Green investment to come up with new technology which will enable Zambians to enjoy better services in terms of mobile connectivity, internet and other data services,” Prof Lungwangwa said.
Asked to comment on Hichilema clarification that he was not the initiator of the government privatisation process, Prof Lungwangwa said Zambians should ask Hichilema why he agreed with the privatisation process.
“It’s better Zambians should ask him the question, did he superintend over the privatisation process? And in his own stature, in his own professional standing, why did he superintend over the privatisation process? Didn’t he agree with the privatisation process? What was he doing then?" Prof Lungwangwa asked.
He said if government did not look for an equity partner Zamtel was going to collapse.
He said the sale of Zamtel was aimed at ensuring that the company could later contribute to governments revenue through taxes.
Prof Lungwangwa said ZAIN and MTN had been contributing enormous resources to government through taxes which Zamtel had not been doing.
He said President Rupiah Banda made it very clear when he addressed the House of Chiefs that Zamtel made a loss of US$17 million the other year(2008) US$30 million last year.
Labels: GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, ZAMTEL
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Zambian schools lack vibrant learning, observes diplomat
By Allan Mulenga and Felix Kashweka
Thu 06 May 2010, 03:00 CAT
DEPUTY head of mission at the Netherlands embassy Robert Van den Dool has observed that schools in Zambia are not places of vibrant learning.
And acting education minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa has revealed that last year, the government failed to fulfill all planned activities because of inadequate and irregular flow of resources, delays in handling teachers’ confirmation and allowance-related cases.
Speaking on behalf of cooperating partners during the official opening of the two-day joint annual review meeting in Lusaka yesterday, Van den Dool said teachers, absenteeism, inadequate teachers’ skills, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate teaching and learning resources and infrastructure compromise quality of education in the country.
“Zambian pupils and students are still not learning enough. Zambia’s performance on learning achievements as shown in the SAQMEQ national assessment results of 2008 and indeed the performance on national examinations, indicate that there is much more that needs to be done to ensure that teaching and learning is taking place for all children in Zambia,” he noted.
Van den Dool, who is also the acting Netherlands Ambassador to Zambia, explained that in 2009 examinations, the proportion of students that scored less than 20 per cent in mathematics was 53 per cent at Grade Seven and 56 per cent at Grade Nine.
“Many children in community schools, in rural settings, girls, and children with special educational needs are even more disadvantaged. Particular mention should be made of school girl pregnancies here,” he said.
Van den Dool said most of the children had fewer chances of developing themselves because of lack of opportunities.
He urged the government to take necessary measures to foster more equitable access to education.
And officiating at the occasion, Prof Lungwangwa noted that the government failed to fulfill all planned activities because of inadequate and irregular flow of resources, delays in handling teachers’ confirmation and allowance-related cases, inadequate teacher accommodation and inadequate desks, teaching and learning materials.
He, however, said the government would strive to ensure that more resources were provided to achieve quality education.
“To foster and sustain the achievements and address the challenges of my ministry in the provision of quality education, the government will strive to ensure that the required resources and conducive environment for teaching and learning are provided,” said Prof Lungwangwa.
Labels: EDUCATION, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, ROBERT VAN DEN DOOL
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RB constitutes team to look at restructuring of ZESCO
Wednesday, May 5, 2010, 17:20
President RUPIAH BANDA has constituted a committee of ministers to look at the restructuring of ZESCO. Energy Minister KENNETH KONGA disclosed this at a media breakfast organised by the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) in Lusaka today.
Mr KONGA said the committee is currently sitting and consulting all stakeholders on the restructuring of ZESCO. He said Government has also commissioned a study to look at the most effective and cheapest option of importing crude into the country.
Mr KONGA said some of the options include modernising Indeni refinery, constructing a new refinery or using the TAZAMA pipeline.
And Speaking at the same function, Communications and Transport minister GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA announced that government is conducting feasibility studies on the construction of new rail lines.
Professor LUNGWANGWA said government intends to construct a rail line from Kafue to Zimbabwe and another from Solwezi through Kasempa to Namibia’s Walvis Bay.
He said government intends to construct another rail line from Chipata in the Eastern province to Serenje in Central province.
Professor LUNGWANGWA said government will soon advertise for tenders for the construction of the rail lines.
[ZNBC]
Labels: GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, INFRASTRUCTURE, KENNETH KONGA, ZESCO
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‘Poverty has continued to bite Zambia’
By Henry Sinyangwe
Sat 27 Mar. 2010, 04:00 CAT
POVERTY has continued to bite Zambia despite the positive economic indicators, transport and communications minister Prof Geoffrey Lungwangwa has said.
During the 44th Annual General Meeting of the Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) yesterday, Prof Lungwangwa said this was not healthy as it bred bad vices which did not encourage investment thereby leading to abject poverty.
“You will agree with me that poverty has continued to bite our nation despite the positive economic indicators,” he said.
“This is in turn not healthy for the employers and workers alike, because the situation breeds insecurity, crime and other evils all of which do not encourage investment but instead driving it away thereby completing the vicious circle which in turn results into abject poverty.”
Prof Lungwangwa urged the private sector to create more jobs so as to ameliorate the impacts of the global economic crisis.
He said the government would continue to provide an enabling environment for business to attract investors who would retain their investment in Zambia.
Prof Lungwangwa said there was need for all employers to join the Zambia Federation of Employers as it would enhance social dialogue and allow the government deal directly with their concerns and interests.
And ZFE president Dr George Chabwera said labour inspection was a critical tool for the implementation of labour laws.
He said many employers violated labour laws because they were not being inspected by officers from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security due to inadequate resources.
And Dr Chabwera said it was necessary for the economy to be robust in order to accommodate over 300,000 annual new entrants on the job market.
Dr Chabwera said this could only be achieved with an annual growth rate of over 80 per cent hence the need to make Zambia the most preferred investment destination.
He said there was need for the government to reintroduce apprenticeship training as it would address the core issue of basic skills that had resulted in the importation of such skills.
Dr Chabwera said ZFE was concerned that up to now the country did not have adequate provisions for social security.
Labels: GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, POVERTY
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Zambia, Congo DR and Namibia sign agreement on transport
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Mon 08 Mar. 2010, 06:10 CAT
ZAMBIA has signed an agreement aimed at
harmonising all aspects of transport, trade and spatial development with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Namibia.
During the signing ceremony on the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor Development at the Zambezi Sun Hotels in Livingstone on Thursday, communications minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa said according to various publications by our regional bodies, transport costs in Africa were in the range of 60 per cent.
“Transport costs in our region as a share of value of exports are high. According to various publications by our regional bodies, transport costs in Africa are in the region of 60 per cent. The high cost of transport in our region and Africa as a whole has negatively impacted on our competitive capacity on the global economic market,” Prof Lungwangwa said.
“As ministers responsible for transport under this corridor, there is need for us to cooperate and work tirelessly to reduce this cost for the benefit of our people we are serving in our respective countries.”
He said excessive documentary requirements and insufficient use of automated systems at border posts also hindered smooth trade in the region.
Prof Lungwangwa said the inadequate border facilities at most border posts was another bottleneck as some officials were forced to work under trees.
On the issue of immigration, Prof Lungwangwa said commercial drivers were subjected to obtaining VISAs valid for seven days in some cases when they had to spend more days on the road hence wasting time and raising transportation costs.
Prof Lungwangwa said the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor Development was of critical importance to the southern African region’s economic development.
“We are going to witness the signing of an agreement which is also focusing on harmonisation of all aspects of transport, trade and spatial development initiative among the participating states namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia and Zambia,” he said.
Prof Lungwangwa said the initiative of the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor Development was initiated by then Namibian president Sam Nujoma and former president Frederick Chiluba in 1997 during the state visit to Namibia by late DRC president Laurent Desire Kabila.
“As ministers of transport in the three countries, we were then directed to establish this corridor. We have taken so much time to have this corridor become a reality because of various consultations our officials were making. They had to consult the donors, the public and private sectors and other international organisations including the regional economic grouping such as SADC and COMESA. This agreement establishing the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor was also subjected to legal scrutiny by our respective ministers of justice,” Prof Lungwangwa said.
He added that the agreement was being signed to facilitate cross border trade and transit-transport cooperation among the three states.
“Give landlocked countries of Zambia and the Katanga Province of DRC unimpeded access through Namibia’s territory to the Port of Walvis Bay and development initiative aimed at the developing other economic areas along the corridor such as mining agriculture and tourism to mention a few,” Prof Lungwangwa said.
And Namibian minister of works and transport Helmut Angula said developing countries were particularly challenged as a result of remoteness from international markets, unfavourable terms of trade, limited investment in infrastructure development and maintenance as well as other policy-related dilemmas.
“The share of Least Developing Countries in world trade also remains dismal over the years. Thus establishment of functional transit-transport arrangements through bilateral treaties conventions, policy reforms and harmonisation of common rules and standards are imperative as we seek to take advantage of global trade instruments,” he said.
Angula said the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor Development was equally a fulfilment of sub-regional protocols on cooperation and development.
“I urge that the virtues of our agreement be operationalised or risk degenerating into a mere dream in the increasing competitive corridor and cross border business. Thus the need for trade facilities through removal of both physical and non-physical barriers cannot be overemphasised,” Angula said.
And permanent secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Transport Dominic Sichinga said Livingstone City faced a lot of challenges as a transit town in terms of infrastructure and other socio-economic problems.
“Accidents are on the rise in this city because of high traffic of trucks transiting through the city. HIV/AIDS cases are also on the rise in this city. Statistics show that a major contributing factor is that a great number of truck drivers spend a lot of time from their homes and engage themselves in sexual activities. I would urge trucking companies to develop HIV/AIDS policies in places of work,” said Sichinga.
Labels: DRC, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, NAMIBIA, TRANSPORT
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Lungwagwa urges road safety education in school curricula
By Namatama Mundia
Sun 24 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT
COMMUNICATIONS and transport minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa has urged education institutions to actively consider incorporating road safety education in their formal and non-formal curriculum.
Launching the revised Zambian Highway Code in Lusaka on Friday, Prof Lungwangwa said the change in the behavior of all road users, drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike required mass education in road safety.
He urged schools to establish road safety clubs just like there are HIV-AIDS clubs in schools. He said road users should acquire a copy of the fifth edition of the Highway Code and put the contents to good use at all times.
Prof Lungwangwa urged media houses especially radio and television to give attention to road safety public education programmes in their broadcasts.
He directed the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to ensure that road traffic law enforcement was enhanced throughout the country especially on the highway, to complement road safety education.
“Road traffic patrols on our major highways should be undertaken 24 hours a day,” Prof Lungwangwa said.
He said the cost of road accidents in low income countries such as Zambia was estimated to be one per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Road accidents have a negative effect on our economic growth and development efforts,” Prof Lungwangwa said.
“In this regard, government will always ensure that enhancing road safety in Zambia remains a top priority as the benefits of our efforts far outweigh the associated costs incurred when road traffic accidents occur.”
He said the implementation of new and more stringent traffic laws such as speed limits or the vehicle seat belt wearing law, costly as it may seem, was meant to protect the lives and should therefore be proactively encouraged by all citizens.
“Making road safety a priority means placing a higher value on life and preserving that life and public property because road accidents can happen to anyone of us at any time. Road safety must be a subject of major concern by all of us,” Prof Lungwangwa said.
And RTSA director Frederick Mwalusaka said the increased motorisation in the country had not been cross-matched with a corresponding increase in road transport infrastructure development and the result was the increase in conflict between the various modes of traffic that was seen today.
“Roads as a public commodity are thus becoming scarce and calls for rationalisation of the resource by all road users,” he said.
“The baseline figure for motor vehicle population in Zambia in December 2006 was 183,000 motor vehicles which today according to statistics held on the Zambia Transport Information System (ZAMTIS) is well over 307,000 motor vehicles excluding government-owned vehicles as of December 2009.”
Mwalusaka said despite the increase in motorisation, the country had faired quite well in reducing the fatality rate from 65 per 10,000 vehicles in 2006 to 48 fatalities per 10,000 vehicles in 2008.
He said RTSA considered the launch of the Highway Code as another milestone achieved and a timely intervention that should help road users to learn to share the road space equitably and in a safe manner.
RTSA board chairman Winstone Mwandila said the transportation of goods and people needed to be done in an efficient and timely manner.
“In order to maximize the net benefit to the economy, an efficient transport system needs to be augmented with a safe transportation environment, otherwise the benefits that are derived from transport can be lost through road traffic accidents,” said Mwandila.
Labels: EDUCATION, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, ROADS, SAFETY
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Mining firms prospecting for minerals in National Parks
Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 11:27
Parliament yesterday heard that three firms are prospecting for minerals in the Lochinvar National park and Kafue flats in Bweengwe constituency.
Mines and Mineral Development Minister has told parliament that Albidon Zambia limited, Dongwe and other small licensed firms are prospecting for Gypsum and other precious minerals and stones in the area.
Dr. Mwansa was responding to a question by Bweengwe Member of Parliament Hive Hamududu who wanted to know whether there were any firms prospecting for minerals in the Lochinvar national park and Kafue flats in his constituency.
Mr. Hamududu also wanted to know the names of the firms and the kind of mineral they are prospecting.
Mr. Hamududu said there was need for the Ministry of Mines to be careful as some firms would get consent for prospecting minerals while they were actually mining.
In response the Dr. Mwansa said the process of prospecting involves special meteorological works hence the use of some equipment which seem as though the companies were mining.
He appealed to those interested in prospecting for minerals in the area to apply for the mining rights.
Earlier Transport and Communications Minister, Geoffery Lungwangwa told the house that his Ministry is committed to holding the Rail Systems of Zambia (RSZ) accountable to the concession that was signed between the company and government.
Prof Lungwangwa said government will always make sure that the RSZ adheres to the concession requirements so that the rail sector develops in the country.
On the cargo exceeding the set tonnage, Prof Lungwangwa said there is a law that stipulates that any cargo vehicle should not be more than 22 metres long and should be weighed.
The Minister was responding to oral questions by Kabwe Central MP Kayula Kakusa who wanted to know whether the Government has any plans to introduce maximum tonnage on particular stretches of roads so that cargo exceeding the set tonnage should be transported by rail to save roads.
Mr. Kakusa also wanted to know when the Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) will repair the rail tracks to save the roads from being damaged by heavy trucks.
ZANIS
Labels: ALBIDON, GAME PARKS, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, HIGHVIE HAMUDUDU
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Govt addressing EU’s concerns over Zambian airlines – Lungwangwa
Written by Nchima Nchito Jr
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 7:37:41 PM
COMMUNICATIONS minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa has said the government is addressing the concerns raised by the European Commission regarding its safety concerns over Zambian registered airlines. Prof Lungwangwa yesterday refuted reports that Zambian registered airlines have been banned from flying into Europe.
He explained that International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audited Zambia in January and April 2009 to check the establishment and implementation of the safety oversight systems in the country.
He said areas covered by the audit included oversight establishment covering legislation, regulations, organisation structure, technical qualifications, training and technical tool guidance and materials among others.
“The findings of the comprehensive audit have been communicated to the government through the Department of Civil Aviation to redress the concerns. The measures range from short, medium to long term and these are being incorporated in the budget estimates for 2010 and future budgets,” said Prof Lungwangwa.
“To this effect Zambia has not received a ban from ICAO which carried out the audit. The government has, however, noted the concerns raised by the European Commission with whom we have been communicating. In the short term, government is addressing the need for sufficient technical staff and the continuous updating of the regulations and training of staff. In the interim period government is identifying technical personnel to increase the numbers while the training of staff and updating of regulations is on going.”
Recently the European Commission announced the banning and blacklisting with immediate effect all Zambian registered airlines from flying into Europe, citing safety concerns and advised all its nationals within Zambia to stop using the airlines in question.
Announcing the development in Brussels, European Commission vice-president Antanio Tajani stated that the commission had added two additional countries, Zambia and Kazakhstan, to a list of airlines banned from flying into Europe.
“We cannot afford any compromises in air safety. We have to remain vigilant since citizens have the right to fly safely everywhere in the world and we will not accept that airlines fly at different standards when they operate inside and outside Europe,” stated Tajani.
Labels: EU, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, ICAO
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Underutilization of mobile phones services worry govt
Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 13:47
Government has expressed worry at the underutilization of mobile phone services in the country. Transport and Communications Minister, Geoffrey Lungwangwa, says many people are not able to access the many mobile phone services that companies in the sector are offering.
Professor Lungwangwa said this when he led the Parliamentary Committee on Communication and Local government in touring Zain Headquarters in Lusaka today. He said people have limited usage of mobile phone services as they are only using it to make phone calls and sending messages.
Prof. Lungwangwa said there was need for people to start using mobile phones to access other services such as the INTERNET to enable them obtain vital information as well as getting connected to the rest of the world.
“The usability of mobile phone technology in Zambia is still underutilized, people have limited use for it, and they only use it for calling but cannot access mobile INTERNET and such other services” he said.
“The usability of mobile phone technology in Zambia is still underutilized, people have limited use for it, and they only use it for calling but cannot access mobile INTERNET and such other services” he said.
Meanwhile, Professor Lungwangwa has assured that the international gate way is still under government control.
And speaking earlier, Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Communication and Local government, Ngandu Magande called on Zain Zambia to connect Information Communication Technology (ICT’s) to the rural areas.
Mr. Magande said he was impressed with the development of ICT in the country though rural areas where still untapped.
And Zain Zambia, Managing Director, David Holliday, said his company was investing in optic fiber in Lusaka, Livingstone, the Copperbelt and other major cities to improve on the speed of connectivity.
Mr. Holliday said the company had already stated laying the optic fiber in Lusaka and would soon go to other cities staring with Livingstone and the Copperbelt.
He said this would reduce the cost of connectivity adding that the current connectivity by satellite is expensive.
Meanwhile, Mr. Holiday said the Third Generation (3G) license the communication Authority (CA) issued to Zain was not for commercial use but for testing purposes.
He said Zain was still waiting for permission from government to give them the license to officially launch the 3G license.
Mr. Holliday further disclosed that his company has embarked on a training programme called ‘train the trainer’ where Zambian technicians and engineers are taken to study abroad-Zanis
Labels: GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, ITC
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Sale of zamtel likely to be fraudulent – zukas
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe and Florence Bupe
Tuesday, August 11, 2009 5:31:24 PM
VETERAN politician Simon Zukas has said the sale of Zamtel is likely to be fraudulent because the process preceding the transaction has not been transparent.
Meanwhile, most participants to the Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) public discussion under the theme ‘Privatisation of Zamtel - What are the Economic Benefits?’ called for a peaceful demonstration to halt the sale of three quarters of the country’s biggest telecommunication company, stating that the government has failed to heed to dialogue.
Contributing to the debate, Zukas said the hiring of RP Capital to evaluate the net asset value of Zamtel was done without transparency.
Zukas however said it was more prudent to sell Zamtel than to have the company liquidated and workers get very little out of it. “It should be privatised. As to the degree, then we can discuss that but the one point I would like to make…what is the point of asking to see the RP Capital report when we were never consulted transparently about choosing it to assess the assets of Zamtel?” Zukas asked.
“As far as I am concerned, the report is not worth anything…so, we would have to find someone else to be given assessment of what Zamtel is worth. But the important thing is that what Zamtel is worth is not its assets, its assets are old and probably out of date but the assets of Zamtel are the customers that will come in the future. That is where the value lies. Anyone coming in here is not interested in buying the assets. They are going to look at the market…as Zambia develops, they have seen how the cell phones have taken off. The market is there and that is what they will be looking at, but my main concern is that there should transparency. That is the key.
“We started with lack of transparency in choosing the consultant, now all the emotions should be concentrated on making sure that whoever is chosen as managing partner should be chosen in a transparent manner and we should be sure that that partner has the capacity to run Zamtel and not act in the way some of our investors have acted; when the going gets tough, they run away.”
And most members of audience contended that there was need for a peaceful demonstration to halt the process of privatising Zamtel, which they said was laced with corruption.
The audience observed that whereas other national issues like Zesco electricity tariffs had been subjected to thorough debate, the government was evidently bulldozing its way in the manner it was handling the privatisation process.
Former Copperbelt University Students Union (COBUSU) president Emmanuel Mwange said the demonstration was the only way of informing the government that Zambians had rejected its roadmap on Zamtel.
“We can’t come and start massaging ourselves…maybe if we decided that come next week Monday, we are going to hold a demonstration to demand that before Zamtel is given away…how are we going to ensure that those concerns are addressed? I propose that we don’t become jokers,” said Mwange. “If cadres can demonstrate to show their foolishness, why can’t we demonstrate to show some meaningful and purposeful vision for our country Zambia? So, I challenge everybody to make sure we protect our interest.”
His sentiments were echoed by former University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) president Antonio Mwanza who said continuing to dialogue with the government over the matter was a waste of time.
He also complained that most educated people had become averse towards matters of governance.
“What worries me is the level of lack of participation by the learned people. We have left the issues of governance in the hands of riff-raffs but we expect proper results from people who don’t even understand their own lives. We are wasting our time,” said Mwanza.
“So, it is time for us to stand up and be a part of that process of governance. Any more dialogue will not change anything…the saying of the wise is that if you want peace, you should be ready for war in order to earn peace. What are we going to do to ensure that equity partner does not take Zamtel?”
Another member of the audience, Heather Hanene said there was need to seek the legal route of blocking the privatisation of Zamtel, and that if it failed, massive demonstration remained the only alternative.
Earlier, National Union of Communications Workers (NUCW) president Clement Kasonde said Zamtel workers accepted the privatisation of the company with a heavy heart after the government, the majority shareholder, rejected the union’s plans to recapitalise it.
Kasonde said the government’s move was a sharp contrast to Western governments that had offered rescue packages to companies that had been hit by the global financial crisis.
“For us as a union, our mandate is not just about representing our workers…we have considered what is happening in Zamtel and its indebtedness and the failure by the shareholder, the government, to recapitalise the company…painfully, we have accepted that we allow the company to be privatised purely on the basis that we want Zamtel to survive,” said Kasonde.
But communications minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa has maintained that the sale of the majority shares of the telecommunications company is the surest way of guaranteeing its survival.
In his draft ministerial statement to Parliament last Friday, Prof Lungwangwa said based on the recommendations given to government by RP Capital, there was need for government to look for an equity partner who could buy 75 per cent shareholding in Zamtel, while the government retained 25 per cent equity in the company.
Prof Lungwangwa said the government would award the 75 per cent shares to a qualified organisation of any nationality, including Zambian, which would demonstrate that it had the financial capacity and management experience to make the telecommunications company competitive.
Labels: ANTONIO MWANZA, CLEMENT KASONDE, EAZ, EMMANUEL MWANGE, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, HEATHER HANENE, PRIVATISATION, UNZASU, ZAMTEL, ZUKAS
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Zamtel sale won’t harm security – Lungwangwa
Written by Florence Bupe
Saturday, August 08, 2009 1:49:53 PM
COMMUNICATIONS minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa has said the privatisation of Zamtel will not in any way compromise the country’s security system as suggested by some stakeholders.
In his draft ministerial statement to Parliament on the partial sale of Zamtel yesterday, Prof Lungwangwa said the transaction would in fact strengthen the country’s security through enhanced technology.
“We, in no way, seek to undermine the security of this nation as some have suggested. In fact, in privatising Zamtel, Zambia stands to strengthen the security of our country through modern technologies as opposed to living in the sixties,” he said.
Prof Lungwangwa said the privatisation of incumbent telecommunications companies was not taking place in Zambia alone, and cited Ghana as an example of an African state that had sold off 70 per cent of the state-owned Ghana Telecom to a private sector player, Vodafone.
He said since the privatisation of the company, Ghana Telecom had registered significant positive strides in its operations.
Prof Lungwangwa assured that Zamtel would only be released to a bidder that would meet the requirements set by the government.
He explained that following the evaluation of Zamtel by RP Capital consultants and subsequent findings and recommendations, the government had directed the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) to undertake the implementation of the recommendations in accordance with the ZDA Act 11 of 2006.
“The report of the consultants was presented to the Cabinet Committee of Ministers on Zamtel. The consultants recommended that in order to avert a collapse of Zamtel, the government should look for an equity partner who can buy 75 per cent shareholding in Zamtel and retain 25 per cent equity in the company. The committee studied the report and presented a joint cab memo to the Economic Restructuring and Development Committee of Cabinet (ERDC),” said Prof Lungwanga.
“The recommendations of the ERDC were subsequently approved and adopted by the full Cabinet...It is expected that ZDA will implement this decision in line with the ZDA Act.”
Labels: GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, RP CAPITAL PARTNERS, SECURITY, TREASON, ZAMTEL
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Govt to limit licenses required for ICT sector
Written by Florence Bupe
Friday, August 07, 2009 2:45:04 PM
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said the governmentwill minimise the number of licences required for the communications sector in a bid to reduce the cost of doing business in the country.
In a speech read on his behalf by communications minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa at the official opening of the Zain Zambia head office at Zain House yesterday, President Banda said the Information and Communications Technology Bills under discussion by Parliament would provide for the streamlining of a licensing regime.
“Already, Parliament is discussing the Information and Communication Technologies Bill, Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill as well as the Postal Services Bill...Further, the number of licenses will be minimised in line with government’s policy of reducing the cost of doing business as envisaged in the Business Licensing Reform Programme,” he said.
President Banda observed that the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector had withstood the impact of the prevailing global economic crisis.
He said this was as a result of measures instituted, but cautioned Zain Zambia management against undertaking cost saving measures that would work against employees.
“In this time of the global crisis, I am comforted by the fact that the ICT sector has remained resilient to the financial shocks such that the sector has maintained the service of employment levels,” President Banda said. “However, I am concerned that while we are still on the recovery path, there is a tendency to take cost cutting measures that may affect employees in the sector.”
President Banda further observed that private sector participation was vital in the growth of the sector in particular, and the country’s economy as a whole.
“Let me also recognise the investment made by the private sector in contributing to the treasury through tax and non tax contributions. These are some of the benefits that government can realise from increased investment in the country,” said President Banda.
Zain Zambia managing director David Holliday said the company would continue to invest in Zambia for as long as the investment policies remained conducive.
And Farmers House chairperson Timothy Mushibwe said his organisation would uphold infrastructure development as a means of enhanced economic growth.
The Zain House is a Farmers House venture undertaken at a cost of US $8 million and has been leased to Zain Zambia.
Labels: GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, ICT, RUPIAH BANDA
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Economy, Cabinet pay
By Dr Henry lunga Kasongo, Mongu
Wednesday August 06, 2008 [04:00]
It is common knowledge that due to the rising price of fuel on the world’s market, the economic progress of many countries in the world has been seriously shaken. On the Zambian market, this situation is reflected in the prices of basic commodities such as mealie-meal, sugar, soap which have increased.
In Zambia, a country where majority of the people live on less than a dollar per day, one needs not to be a genius to understand that the cost of living is too high for many ordinary citizens to afford. Despite the hardship many Zambians are facing, there has not been pronouncement from the government on measures or strategies it intends to put in place to cushion the suffering of the people of Zambia vis-ã-vis the unbearable cost of living.
There are indications that Zambia’s economy is not performing well since his Excellency Dr Levy Mwanawasa was admitted ill abroad. The poor performance of the economy can be seen through kwacha/US dollar exchange rate (K3,300 for USD 1 before his admission to K3,550 for USD1).
What will be the fate of the kwacha if our beloved President remains sick for the next 2 months? Some economic analysts will rightly argue that the economic malaise the country has started going through is due to the situation of uncertainty investors are facing due to the President’s illness, as they invested because they trusted his leadership and his way of managing our country’s affairs.
Because leadership and trust are some of the spices of good economic performance, I was personally expecting the government to work hard so that the economic gains we achieved before his Excellency’s sickness are maintained.
Our honourable ministers were supposed to concentrate on working hard so that they are trusted by the people of Zambia and foreign investors. Instead of concentrating on their duties, our honourable ministers are shockingly and selfishly talking about increment of salaries and allowances, talk time and fuel allocation.
It is understandable that our ministers deserve better conditions of service, but at the moment there is no moral justification for such increment. Are our ministers aware that nurses get K200,000 and doctors are paid K500,000 as housing allowances? Which type of house can a doctor rent at K500,000? The majority of our ministers live in Lusaka, where have they seen houses for rental at K200,000 for our hard working nurses?
Instead of comparing their salaries and allowances to highly-paid people such as the governor of the Bank of Zambia, our ministers should compare their salaries to lowly-paid teachers, nurses, doctors so that whenever they think of an increment, they should also increase for those who are poorly and ridiculously paid as well.
As for now, it is immoral, indecent and fraudulent to talk of increment when our beloved President is on the hospital bed. Our ministers should forget about their wallets and bellies at this critical moment. Let us concentrate on praying for his Excellency’s speedy recovery.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=44604
Selfish Cabinet
By Chanda Chilufya, Maputo, Mozambique
Monday August 04, 2008 [04:00]
The increments Cabinet has offered itself are unjustifiable, immoral and scandalous. We have a very dissipated and highly insensitive Cabinet. Unza students have just had their calendar disrupted because we have insensitive ministers who would rather increase their salaries while the lecturers continue to suffer. On this score, I ask Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa to resign.
Vice-President Rupiah Banda must be reminded that this will haunt him even after he leaves Government House because it has shown that he, together with his colleagues in Cabinet, are selfish and do not care about cushioning the high oil and food prices, as well as manage government expenditure.
It does not make any sense at all that Cabinet has decided to make increments for themselves when there are other issues that continue to affect ordinary Zambians.
The closure of the University of Zambia is as a result of a myopic government that wants to hide its weaknesses and inability to govern for the good of the nation in President Mwanawasa’s absence. This Cabinet has been crying for public sympathy after the illness of the President and has asked Zambians to pray for him.
At the rate we are moving, this government and its Cabinet must be pushed, even through established legal institutions to tell the nation the truth regarding the President’s condition. A number of questions have been lingering in our minds and they deserve to be answered.
It is cowardice and docility on the part of the citizens to be made to believe that we just have to wait on God and treatment because, as other commentators have noted, treatment can last a lifetime in certain cases. With due respect, Zambia belongs to all of us - the citizens. We have the right to know the exact condition of our President.
The government must learn to be truthful and stop taking Zambians for granted. As we nurse President Mwanawasa, Zambia needs to move and not be trapped in the President’s illness. Zambia deserves better and must get better from this government.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=44671
Unjustifiable pay rise for Cabinet
By Concerned Citizen
Wednesday August 06, 2008 [04:00]
Your revelation of Cabinet’s approval of hefty pay rise on July 24, 2008 for ministers and some other constitutional office holders is such an example of your excellent work. It is sad to see that instead of listening to people’s views, there are even such office holders as Teta, who are defending such an action by making invidious comparisons as broadcast on the 19:00 hours main news on Monday August 4, 2008.
If there have been consultations on this issue as being claimed, then such consultations were poorly conducted. The timing itself for such outrageous increments is simply horrible!
Why would anybody compare salaries drawn directly from the taxpayers’ account with those drawn from private accounts, from wealth created either through production or through membership contributions? Surely, the secretary general of ZCTU, an example Tentamashimba picked on, is not paid by the Zambian taxpayer.
Even going by the Cabinet justification as quoted by your paper makes very little sense! Why would a minister or worse still, a deputy minister want to equate their salary to that of a chief executive of a company or the Governor of the Bank of Zambia, even if it is a parastatal company?
These companies are supposed to run like any other company; they are supposed to create wealth from which such payments as salaries ought to be made. If not, they should be scrapped or liquidated, unless they are of vital value to the society like Zesco or the Bank of Zambia.
A politician holding office is basically unproductive, he does not create wealth as such. They are even countries in this world where politician’s role in national affairs is so insignificant that it really does not matter who holds political office. Such countries are doing very well economically, socially and in other areas.
Personally, I feel we would be better off as a nation if politicians did not have their fingers on every pie in this country. I would sympathise with a civil servant like permanent secretary or chief justice. Some of these people are very productive. Not a political office holder. He even relies on the civil servant for most of his work.
Besides, a politician is supposed to be a volunteer in service provision to his society. Making conditions of service for political office ultra attractive has already, in many cases, attracted the wrong type of politicians, the selfish type, the conman type. So why make the situation worse?
We have long outstanding serious problems in education. UNZA was going on unscheduled recess due to problems relating to inadequate funding from the government at the time Cabinet was approving its salary increments. In health, public health institutions are poorly funded and some political leaders prefer having their BP checked outside the country to parading themselves at these institutions.
In agriculture, fertiliser is now at K210,000 per 50kg and one wonders how a peasant farmer will afford this. The roads all over the country are in shambles save for a few along the line of rail, water blues have continued despite the country being blessed with abundant water resources which we have failed to harness successfully while arid countries like Botswana, Namibia have no water problems, townships are littered with uncollected garbage, the list is endless.
Timing is one of the cardinal factors to contend with in decision-making, especially on issues of public concern. For Cabinet to make such a decision as reported against this backdrop, clearly appears indecent and smacks of lack of concern for the general welfare of ordinary Zambians.
If you add this to the fact that this decision was made while the Republican President is still critically ill outside the country makes the whole thing stink. Several members of Cabinet have given such an impression over Dr Mwanawasa’s illness that it would not even cross their mind to think about increasing their salaries at this point in time!
This decision by Cabinet when critically analysed appear to speak volumes about the seriousness of the illness of our President despite the assurances we are receiving from the Vice-President, information minister and others.
If what Mr Sata has stated is true that President Mwanawasa was against implementing these increments, then who dares to give approval to this and more importantly why? Timing is extremely important. A fair decision would appear a bad one if poorly timed!
Cabinet should consider rescinding their decision on this one.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=44598
Cabinet in Levy's absence
By Benny Mumba C C
Sunday August 03, 2008 [14:00]
Accord me space in your paper to air my views over the abnormal and selfish salary increments for Cabinet and senior government officials.
Zambia is indeed headed for more of such behaviour from the people that are running the affairs of the country on behalf of Levy.
It was barely less than a month of Levy’s absence from Cabinet and our so-called ministers where busy abusing taxpayer’s money discussing salary increments.
I’m short of words. I don’t think if Levy was there he would have accepted a salary increment at the expense of those riotous students of Unza and other innocent citizens dying in UTH due to lack of proper medication and other important economic developmetal programmes for those few selfish individuals.
Ba Levy, I wish you were here. Fellow countrymen, let us hope for the best and prepare for the worst from these leaders.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=44603
Unreasonable Cabinet pay increments
By Concerned citizen
Monday August 04, 2008 [04:00]
The revelation in The Post of Friday, August 1, 2008 that ministers and other senior government officials have offered themselves handsome salary increments cannot go without comment.
The salary increments are unreasonable in the sense that Cabinet did not pay reasonable attention to factors that need its urgent intervention like education, health, agriculture and the poor road infrastructure in the country. I say so because Cabinet should have waited for the President to return as they have done with other issues.
The question I want to ask Cabinet is: who is going to sanction this scandal? I call it a scandal because it has no blessings from the President, as he is in France receiving medical attention. Why can’t the Vice-President put an end to this selfish move? Whose interests are the increments serving?
Is this increment not synonymous with the plunder of national resources? Who is going to save us from this looting of the national treasury before the President returns?
Labels: CABINET, CORRUPTION, GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, RUPIAH BANDA, UNZA
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Unions accuse Lungwangwa of lacking interest in UNZA affairs
By Inonge Noyoo
Sunday July 27, 2008 [04:00]
THE two workers' unions at the University of Zambia (UNZA) have accused education minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa of lack of practical interest in the institution since assuming office. In a statement signed by the presidents and general secretaries of the University of Zambia Professional and Senior Staff Association (UNZAPROSSA) and the University of Zambia and Allied Workers' Union (UNZAWU), the two unions blamed Prof Lungwangwa for the current go-slow at the institution.
The unions claimed that Prof Lungwangwa had caused the current crisis at UNZA because he has had no interest in the welfare of the workers at the institution.
The unions further stated that Prof Lungwangwa was simply using his office to settle old scores with the workers at the university where he once worked.
The unions explained that the crisis at UNZA emanated from the quiet animosity between Prof Lungwangwa and the university community.
They explained that Prof Lungwangwa's refusal to approve the salaries agreed upon by the workers' representatives and the University Council was purely personal.
The unions claimed that Prof Lungwangwa's hatred for the university community dates back to the time when he was still UNZA deputy vice-chancellor and the university community exposed him for purchasing furniture and curtains for his office without following laid down procedure.
The unions revealed that when Prof Lungwangwa was still deputy vice-chancellor, he was paid over K100 million, a payment they described as abnormal and that other people on the list who were supposed to be paid earlier than him were ignored.
The unions explained that Prof Lungwagwa had not forgiven the university community for exposing a series of irregularities in which he was involved when he was still deputy vice-chancellor and was now settling scores by denying them the salary increment.
"We strongly believe that the minister does not wish to see peace at the University of Zambia. It is disheartening that when the entire nation is united in praying for the quick recovery of our head of state, the minister is busy planting seeds of disunity by deliberately provoking the lecturers and other workers at the University of Zambia," they stated.
The unions further claimed that Prof Lungwangwa believed that some union representatives hated him during the time he was deputy vice-chancellor and had continued to hate him even now.
"We want to inform the nation that if the University of Zambia Great East Road campus is closed today or tomorrow, the minister of education shall be held personally responsible.
The workers demand an immediate implementation of the memorandum of agreement. We negotiaitiated for everything in good faith and if the other party erred, we cannot be held responsible," stated the unions. "We wish to reiterate that we have collectively resolved to fight this battle up to the end and the go-slow will continue with renewed vigour."
Efforts to get a comment from Prof Lungwangwa proved futile.
Labels: GEOFFREY LUNGWANGWA, TRADE UNIONS, UNZA, UNZAPROSSA, UNZAWU
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