Deforestation in Monze worries forestry dept
By Pride Bwalya in Monze
Wed 10 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE forestry department in Monze has expressed worry over the alarming rate of deforestation in some parts of the district. In an interview in Monze on Monday, forestry department extension assistant Rays Mwansa said that deforestation was rampant inchiefs Choongo and Hamusonde's areas.
He also complained that government was losing a lot of revenue which was supposed to be paid to the department for licences for those trading in charcoal and other forest products.
Mwansa also said that the chiefs' councils of both Choongo and Hamusonde areas were issuing a licence called the Royal Licence contrary to the laws of Zambia and were collecting levy.
He called for reinforcement of the forestry Act in order to curb deforestation and preserve forests for other important and economic benefits.
He said that it was unfortunate that charcoal traders were made to pay for other licences instead of them obtaining the forestry licence which mandates them to trade within fourteen days.
Mwansa also called onthe Zambia Wildlife Authority to stop allowing charcoal traders going through the Lochinvar National Park without a licence from forestry department.
He said that the departmenthad planned to carry out sensitisation meetings for traditional leaders and other members of the community on the procedures and the forestry act in order to help them understand the role of forestry department in the protection of natural resources.
He said that the department was unable to conduct sensitisation meetings and aforestation and reforestation regularly because it was faced with transport challenges.
Meanwhile, Billiant Halwiindi, a charcoal trader from chief Hamusonde's area said the chief's council was levying them KR100 for the royal licence per month.
Labels: DEFORESTATION, MONZE
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ZCTU Monze wants Hikaumba, Mwaba out
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Tue 29 Nov. 2011, 13:20 CAT
ZAMBIA Congress of Trade Unions members need to clean up all corners of the congress by removing all ineffective leaders, says the Monze branch. ZCTU members in the Southern Province town have joined growing calls for ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba and secretary general Roy Mwaba to resign.
ZCTU Monze chairperson Foster Matakala and secretary Rays Mwansa in a jointly signed statement described the union mother body as "non-functional" despite its affiliates contributing a lot of money monthly.
The statement was a resolution of the minutes of the ZCTU meeting recently held in Monze
"The leadership has given ZCTU President Leonard Hikaumba and Secretary General Roy Mwaba to resign because they are a sellout to the workers," according to the e-mailed statement.
"They don't represent any worker but themselves and their families. Hikaumba and Roy Mwaba used to dine with MMD officials at the expense of bargaining for good conditions of service and better salaries for the workers."
ZCTU Monze also stated that Mwaba and Hikaumba should not be part of the negotiating team for next year's collective agreement.
"What can they negotiate for when they are getting hefty salaries and allowances when the majority of the workers have lived in poverty?" wondered the union officials.
"They were campaigning for MMD in the 2011 general elections and the PF government has kept quiet on the issue of union leadership campaigning for a political party when they are supposed to remain neutral."
The Monze workers stated that ZCTU was even failing to rent offices in districts when it had a lot of money from the affiliates.
"The union in the past five years has not been representing its membership because the leaders only wanted to fatten their pockets," they charged.
"We request the government to consider opening negotiations. Let the government look into the plight of the workers by giving them a good deal," stated ZCTU Monze.
Labels: LEONARD HIKAUMBA, MONZE, ROY MWABA, ZCTU
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COMMENT - "It does not pay to belong to an opposition..."
Top MMD official in Monze defects to PF
TIME PUBLISHED - Saturday, September 24, 2011, 10:07 am
Monze District Movement for Multi-Party Democracy-MMD vice-chairman Mr. Bernard Chisangano has defected with immediate effect to join the Patriotic Front.
Announcing his resignation, Mr. Chisangano said he decided to resign saying the PF government has lined out a number of programs that will benefit the country.
Mr. Chisangano has also urged the former ruling party district executive to work with the new government and help develop the country.
”Yes today I have joined the PF and I want to work with the new government which has proved to the nation that it is capable of taking the country forward. And I want to ask my colleagues i worked with in the MMD to join me and work together,” Chisangano said. Ine lelo nachoka mu MMD nangena mu PF.
”The time has come for everyone to start afresh and look forward as the elections has come to an end but the country continues. I want to appeal to the PF government not to look upon us as enemies but to embrace us as we want to work together. I also want to appeal to the PF government to use us in anyway possible”, he added.
Another figure that has resigned from the MMD is Monze Central Manungu ward chairlady, a Miss Queen.
She was speaking in an interview saying it does not pay to belong to an opposition claiming that the PF government has what it takes to lead Zambia to its greatest height.
”Ine lelo nachoka mu MMD nangena mu PF. Nifuna kusebenza nabantu bamene bafuna ncinto. Ba MMD bankala maningi mupower kuchoka mu 1991. Vintu nikucinja”,Queen said.
(I have today defected from the MMD and joined the PF. Iwant to work with people committed to hard work. MMD has overstayed in power since 1991. Leadership should be shared.)
Labels: MMD, MONZE, PF
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Don't kubeba is ‘Don't kubambila' - Moono
By Roy Habaalu
Thu 15 Sep. 2011, 13:55 CAT
MONZE Patriotic Front candidates for local government seats are preaching ‘Don't kubambila' to Monze residents ahead of next week's general elections. ‘Don't kubambila' is the Tonga version of ‘Don't Kubeba', the PF's campaign slogan.
During a Zambia National Womens Lobby (ZNWL) sponsored programme on Sky FM in Monze to support female candidates contesting this year's elections, Manungu ward candidate Ethel Moono said suffering would end next week after the Patriotic Front takes over government. She said the MMD had neglected the people of Monze and did not deserve another term in office.
She said people should not sell their votes for any amount because their lives were more important than the K10,000 being dished out by MMD.
"Oyu musemu ngobamba wa ‘don't kubeba' tacaambi kutukila na kutyani; nkambyo ka PF kaamba ikuti na wajana ali kabunga ka MMD nokaba ka UPND, wajana kuti balapa cakulya ayebo kotyani? kolya! Nawajana bahozya zitenge, na bapa ma T-shirt ayebo kotyani? kobweza pesi kozikuti buzuba bwakuvota bwasika yebo ulizi cilimumoyo wako-but don't Kubambila kuti nyama njindakalya mebo ndiwaku party yaso. Wasika muka bokesi muya ngu ‘don't kubeba' tulizi ngo tuya kuvotela (Don't kubeba is a PF slogan and not an insult. It means that if you find MMD or UPND distributing food, you also get. You find them distributing chitenges or T-shirts, get though knowing who you will vote for. Don't tell them that though you got their meat, you are not a party member. In the voting booth, it's 'don't kubeba' because you know who you are voting for),"Moono said.
During the programme, the moderator repeatedly announced that the MMD and UPND had failed to feature despite having been invited to participate on the programme.
On the same programme, PF Monze Urban ward candidate Mary Sakala said the town required re-organisation.
She said in its desperation to win the elections, the MMD had resorted to buying votes.
Sakala said Monze had been turned into a village because past leaders did not listen to voters.
"Tacaambi kuti ndaba councillor ndaba atala abasankwa pe! ndiyanda kuti tubelekele antomwe abasankwa abakubushi. Nselede kubeleka endike: munwe omwe taupwai njina (it's not that when I become councillor then I am superior to men, no; I want us to work together with men, youths and women. I can't work alone; no man is an island)," Sakala said.
She said the PF government would complete the shelter at Hamusonde market which had been abandoned by the MMD government in the last six years.
Sakala said Monze district required proper drainages to avoid outbreaks of diseases.
Labels: MONZE, PF
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Inputs support hasn’t helped farmers, says clergyman
By George Zulu
Thu 10 Feb. 2011, 04:00 CAT
THE Farmer Input Support Programme has failed to address the challenges farmers are facing in ensuring food security, according to a Monze clergyman.
Fr Spencer Nyendwa said the delay in the distribution of inputs, poor marketing strategies coupled with poor roads and storage infrastructure had worked against maintaining the country’s food security.
He said it was not healthy for the country to fail to manage the crop at the time other parts of the world were experiencing food shortages.
“It is saddening that we have failed to manage the bumper harvest. We have also taken a wrong route to distributing inputs to our small-scale farmers,” Fr Nyendwa said in an interview on Tuesday.
He said Zambia had favourable agriculture conditions, which needed to be utilised.
“We have not finished the distribution of fertiliser, both top dressing and basal. Our farmers are crying and some have ended up losing out on both their money and time and this is what this government needs to change,” he said.
Fr Nyendwa said the Catholic Church was running programmes to empower small-scale farmers in rural areas through the distribution of farming inputs such as seed and fertiliser for the small farming rural community.
“We have seen a great need for government to increase and monitor this Farmer Input Support Programme closely in order for it to be sustaining and more active. They should not only wait for the rain season but also to invest in irrigation in view of economic development in the agriculture sector,” said Fr Nyendwa.
Labels: FISP, MONZE
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Sata is a devil - Kunda
By By George Zulu in Monze
Tue 18 Jan. 2011, 04:01 CAT
MICHAEL Sata is a devil who cannot be entrusted with the instruments of power, says Vice-President George Kunda. Addressing a rally at Hamusonde market in Monze on Sunday, Vice-President Kunda said Sata was a sadist who loved to see people suffer.
“We shall not allow Sata with the instruments of power. We cannot trust him with that because he is a devil who believes in violence and people suffering,” Vice-President Kunda said as the crowd murmured.
“He believes in nepotism, he is sadistic and his nephew PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba has lined up relatives for positions.”
He said Sata was very violent and he used youths as his proxies to fight for his cause.
Vice-President Kunda, who started his rally by explaining developmental projects in Maamba, Siavonga, Kalomo, Gwembe and Monze, diverted and began attacking Sata.
As Vice-President Kunda was justifying his claims about Sata, Southern Province minister Elijah Muchima was seen distributing chitenge materials and luring old women to defect.
The move created confusion as residents ran to queue for the MMD chitenges, leaving Vice-President Kunda with no option but to stop Muchima.
“Stop doing that. You are creating confusion, not until I finish addressing these people,” said Vice-President Kunda.
Labels: GEORGE KUNDA, MICHAEL SATA, MONZE
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MMD leaders intimidating delegates - Muzyamba
By Sandra Lombe in Livingstone
Tue 18 Jan. 2011, 04:00 CAT
MMD Southern Province chairman Solomon Muzyamba says some senior party and government officials are intimidating and manipulating delegates to the forthcoming provincial conference set for Monze this Thursday.
At a press briefing and answering questions from journalists at his office yesterday, Muzyamba warned the senior government and party officials to desist from intimidating delegates and said they were dividing the party and that might spell doom.
“ I have received reports from districts that identified people in high offices of government and the party are making intimidating calls to some district chairmen and delegates and seeking the influence of district commissioners to sway the delegate as to vote and support particular candidates,” he said.
“They are manipulating certain DCs and using them to influence the voting patterns and support particular candidates. I want to warn these manipulators that history will not judge them kindly.”
Muzyamba said people should be voted for on merit and not because they were the highest bidder.
Muzyamba said people should desist from spending their millions on deceiving delegates and bribery.
“As a ruling party, MMD should lead by example, so selection is based on merit,” he said.
Muzyamba said he could not rule out being disadvantaged due to the alleged intimidation of the delegates.
“I can’t rule out the obvious disadvantage because people will not vote on merit. I rate myself very highly but if the delegates are manipulated I can’t foretell the end result,” he said.
Muzyamba said the entire executive would be challenged at the conference and this shows how popular the party had become.
“ I have received reports that some of my challengers are not only using underhand methods but are also engaging in outright corruption by giving, among others gifts inform of chitenges and buns, bread - scones and cash. These are unacceptable practices,” he said.
Muzyamba said the perpetrators were liable to disciplinary action.
He said he would be making a report to the party and that some candidates were not bonafide members and were not eligible to stand for any position.
Muzyamba said one of his opponents, Captain John Mwamulima, was not a party member as he had been expelled and was not eligible to stand.
He said he was not aware whether Mwamulima had reapplied to join the party.
“It may just be that he has found unalert party officials and bought party membership,” he said.
But Capt Mwamulima in a recent interview said the Muzyamba-led executive had failed and was not vibrant and that there was need for new blood in the executive.
He said it was better Muzyamba retired and if he Muzyamba retained the position, the party would be doomed and dead.
And chairperson of women affairs Eunice Nawa said she would retain her position as she had good conduct and morals.
She said the rejoining to the MMD by Alice Simango did not mean she would contest the elections.
“If she does that, she will just bring back confusion and I will petition,” she said.
Labels: MONZE, SOLOMON MUZYAMBA
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Insufficient funding halts voter registration in Monze
By George Zulu in Monze
Thu 01 July 2010, 10:10 CAT
MONZE District Voter Education Committee (DVEC) has with immediate effect resolved to discontinue sensitising and mobilising people for the voter registration exercise currently underway in the district as a result of insufficient funding from ECZ.
And Police in Monze have threatened to quit the voter registration exercise if their allowances are not reviewed in line with the new guidelines and demands by police.
According to the resolutions at a meeting held on Tuesday, DVEC Monze resolved that they would not return to work until the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) reviewed the allowances and increase the budgetary allocation.
Labels: ECZ, MONZE, VOTER REGISTRATION
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Monze cops fight running battles with mourners
By George Zulu in Monze
Mon 26 Apr. 2010, 03:00 CAT
MONZE police on Wednesday fought running battles with mourners from Manungu and Zambia compounds after the residents attempted to destroy a shop belonging to a businessman they suspected of murdering a three-year-old boy. Problems started after the residents found the deceased floating in an unfinished water well behind his father’s house, two days after he went missing.
One of his friends told the father of the deceased that he had left his friend at the named shop where he was given talk time for sweeping the corridors as payment but never returned home until the day they found him floating in the water well.
This angered the residents who around 14:00 hours on Wednesday during burial started organising themselves when word went round the compounds that a named man owning a shop in the area was in the habit of hiding children for ritual purposes.
Mourners went straight to the named shop and found that the person they had followed had already gone to report the matter to police who later arrived in riot gear to disperse the angry mob that had already started throwing stones at the shop.
The owner of the shop remained at the police station for safety.
Police fired tear gas canisters at the mob and closed down shops and bars in the area.
The battle lasted for about eight hours.
Calm was restored in the compounds after police intensified patrols and blocked roads leading to the compounds.
Some innocent residents had to run away from their houses after they were chocked by tear gas which was fired at them by the police and only returned home after calm had been restored in the area.
Southern Province police chief Lemmy Kajoba could not be reached for a comment as his phone was switched off.
Labels: MONZE, POLICE
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Venture workers threaten to down tools
By George Zulu in Monze
Mon 26 Oct. 2009, 04:00 CAT
VENTURE Communications contract workers have threatened to down tools following non-payment of their salaries for two months. Venture Communications of Botswana has been contracted by Zamtel to put up the fibre optic network cables in Monze and Pemba districts.
In a walk in interview in Monze, workers who spoke on condition of anonymity said they had not been paid for the past two months and that most of their colleagues had been laid off.
They said the company had been promising to pay them but nothing was forthcoming to date.
“Our bosses have been promising to pay us but up to now nothing has come out. This company has been contracted by Zamtel to lay the fiber optic cables and more than 40 casual workers for the two towns were employed to help lay down the cables but if you see the number of workers remaining, it is less than 20... others have stopped because of not getting their salaries. We are not paid, we are made to work for over 12 hours daily and only getting K12,000 a day,” the workers said.
They complained of poor working conditions, saying the site supervisors were not concerned about the welfare of the casual workers.
“We have waited for some time now and have lost patience. What we want is the company directors in Zambia to respond to our call, we need our money we have worked for. If they don’t pay us by next week, we shall down tools and they should not blame us for failing to complete the works on the scheduled time.
They should blame themselves for failing to pay the workers,” they said.
Site supervisors for Monze and Pemba could not comment on the matter as they were reportedly out of the sites.
Labels: MONZE, OPTIC FIBRE, STRIKE
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Monze NGOs resolve to discuss implications of NGO bill
By George Zulu in Monze
Mon 26 Oct. 2009, 04:00 CAT
A forum of Monze district NGOs has resolved to organise mass sensitisation meetings with various stakeholders on the implications of the recently enacted NGO bill into law by government.
During a meeting held at Health Help International (HHI) and attended by Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR), Zambia Land Alliance, Anti Voter Apathy (AVAP), Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) and many other organisations operating in the district, they noted that government, through members of parliament, did not consult its citizenry before enacting such a retrogressive law.
The Forum said the law was targeted at silencing some non-governmental organisations perceived to be anti-government especially in the anti-corruption crusade and those which demanded accountability and transparency in the manner government utilised public funds.
“The Zambian government has made into law the disputed non governmental organisation bill 2009. NGOs in the country are not opposed to having a specific law regulating the sector but we are worried with the manner our colleagues in government went about enacting this act and further what it contains. This law poses a lot of threats to the work and the growth of NGOs and civil society in general and above all it hinges and infringes on the freedom of association and assembly as well as that of expression,” the forum observed.
The Forum also noted that the act provided wide discretionary powers to the Minister and fell short of prescribing what parameters the minister as a public officer shall exercise powers.
The Forum also noted that the act had a lot of flaws, citing the excessive powers given to the minister to exercise his wisdom in choosing and appointing fifteen of the sixteen members of the NGO Registration Board which would be answerable to his office.
The forum indicated that the constitution of the board was questionable in the manner they would operate independently if they were appointed by the minister and answerable to the appointing authority, adding thatthere was no value such a board would bring to the operations and regulation of NGOs in the country.
They also observed that the formation of the NGO council was not in the best interest of the players in the sector as those that were perceived to be anti-government would not be included in the council.
The forum said the NGO law was a barrier to the activities of various NGOs in the country, saying the provision in the law of approving the areas of operations of work was one component of stopping people from exercising the freedom of association.
They further said the act on the function of the board contradicts with the Constitution of Zambia because it infringed on the fundamental rights and freedoms of expression of an individual.
The forum has since written to three members of parliament for Monze district to explain the rationale Parliament took to let such a bill become law.
The forum has further lined up various activities to express their displeasure on the new law to regulate the operations of NGOs and other civil society organisations.
Labels: MONZE, NGOs
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Monze DC warns of floods
Written by Pride Bwalya in Monze
Wednesday, October 07, 2009 7:28:41 AM
MONZE district commissioner Emmerson Machila has warned of floods in the district this year. Machila said that according to the national contingence for disaster management, Monze district is anticipated to experience floods because of high water levels under the water table caused by the floods experienced last season.
He said that lower areas in the district were likely to experience a rise in the levels of water under the table, which might result in floods again.
Machila called on the District Disaster Management and Mitigation Committee (DDMMC) to ensure that strategies were put in place on how to mitigate the disaster that may result in damage of infrastructure including bridges, classrooms and houses in some parts of the district.
He was speaking during the full council meeting held at the district council planning conference unit in Monze yesterday.
Machila urged the DDMMC to avoid waiting until the disaster but to plan ahead by way of sensitising people in flood-prone areas to migrate to higher lands and mobilise tents in advance as well as put in place other possible measures.
Machila challenged councillors in Monze to be proactive in issues of governance and development.
Machila said that councillors and other civic leaders were the engine of development in their areas of representation.
He called on them to be working closely with the office of the district commissioner in order to participate actively in monitoring and evaluation of developmental projects in the district.
Machila said that people represented by councillors were interested in seeing tangible results in areas of development and other important issues affecting them.
He said there was need for concerted efforts from all key players regardless of political affiliation and religion if the district was to achieve meaningful development.
Labels: FLOODS, MONZE
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ZSIC, Access Bank agree to help small-scale farmers
Written by George Zulu in Monze
Tuesday, September 01, 2009 4:39:11 PM
ZAMBIA State Insurance Group and Access Bank Africa have agreed to help small-scale farmers in Zambia under the New Munda credit scheme run by the National Association for Peasant and Small Scale Farmers of Zambia. This is an K8 billion credit scheme aimed at improving food production in the country.
ZSIC managing director Irene Muyenga said this in an interview after the launch of the agriculture inputs distribution for 2009/2010 farming season in Monze.
She said the scheme was meant to empower small-scale farmers throughout the country and that her organisation, which would act as collateral, had partnered with Access Bank to finance the credit scheme.
Muyenga said farmers should take this opportunity seriously and ensure that the funds which were in form of all the inputs needed were utilised accordingly in order to improve their livelihood and contribute towards the credit scheme.
“ZISC has entered into this business as collateral while Access Bank is financing the programme but I have to quickly mention that farmers to benefit from this credit scheme should work towards increasing their production in order for them to improve their livelihood and contribute towards the credit scheme,” she said.
Muyenga said her organisation was aware how risky the agriculture sector was but indicated that it was worth investing in the sector.
“We are not only dealing with individual farmers under this credit scheme but we have also involved their leaders and farmers have been trained on how to handle and avoid risks on their farm, we shall also monitor the developments and officer necessary extension expertise for this programme to yield positive results,” said Muyenga.
And during the official launch of agriculture inputs distribution at Zambia College of Agriculture (ZCA) in Monze, agriculture minister Dr Brian Chituwo said it was not possible for government alone to reach the over 1.2 million farmers across the country due to resource constraints.
Dr Chituwo said the government initiated the FSP to improve access of small-scale farmers to inputs on matching grants basis, adding that the private sector was encouraged to actively partner in supplying inputs to farmers.
“As government will not always meet the national requirement hence our resolve to support this initiative. It is therefore encouraging and indeed commendable to see such programmes which are not only farmer-driven but also offer long-term solutions to input distributions,” said Chituwo.
And National Association for Peasant Farmers of Zambia president Rodgers Phiri said the K80 billion empowerment would bring about food security, increased income and improved standard of living among the rural populations.
Phiri said his organisation would soon introduce rural banking as a way of empowering people in rural areas.
Labels: ACCESS BANK, AGRICULTURE, BRIAN CHITUWO, IRENE MUYENGA, MONZE, RODGERS PHIRI, ZAMBIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, ZSIC
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Closing Sky FM Radio will be suicidal
Written by Editor
Running a private radio or television station in this country is not an easy undertaking. Those who operate radio or television channels in Zambia face the risk of having their stations closed at any time. This makes investing in a radio or television station very risky.
It also makes employment in a private radio or television station unattractive. Those who operate private radio and television stations in this country live in perpetual fear of being closed. It seems to be so easy for the Minister of Information to order the closure of a private radio or television station. This is not an acceptable environment for our private radio and television stations to operate under.
And if this environment is not changed, we will not see much quality growth and investment in this sector. And if this continues, the electronic media will continue to be dominated by government and very fragile private institutions. With limited investment, the quality of journalism will stagnate, will not improve. We say this because it costs a lot of money to achieve high levels of excellence in journalism.
There is urgent need to free our private radio and television stations from the fear of being closed anytime they broadcast something that those in power are not pleased with.
The threats being issued by Ronnie Shikapwasha against Monze’s Sky FM Radio are real. Shikapwasha and his friends become so displeased or annoyed every time they are criticised on the radio or television. They are so used to ZNBC radio and television where no words of criticism are ever uttered against them. They are so used to hearing only praises about themselves on radio and television. The only time they are criticised is when The Post is printed.
In the state-owned and government-controlled media, they are never criticised. Throughout the 10 years of Frederick Chiluba’s government, ZNBC radio and television hardly broadcast anything that was critical of Chiluba; he was a saint. Equally, the state-owned and government-controlled Times of Zambia and Daily Mail never carried a story, an editorial comment or letter to the editor that was critical of Chiluba.
It was the same for Levy Mwanawasa. And we have no doubt it will be the same for Rupiah Banda. Probably this is why they can’t believe it or stand it when The Post exposes and denounces the crimes of their league through stories, editorial comments, columns and letters to the editor. The Post has stood its ground on this score. It has never hesitated to criticise any president of this country – from Dr Kenneth Kaunda through Chiluba and Levy to Rupiah – and their ministers and other politicians.
It is difficult for anyone to make us believe that our presidents and ministers, and ruling MMD politicians, are not criticised in the state-owned and government-controlled media because they don’t do any wrong things, they don’t make any wrong decisions; they are saints. And the only time they cease to be saints is only when they leave office or have joined the opposition.
We don’t know how many private radio or television stations we are going to remain with if every time something unacceptable to those in power is aired, that station should be closed. They have tried to extend this type of thinking even to newspapers. Rupiah and his friends have openly threatened to close The Post because they don’t like its criticism of them. If it was totally left to them to do as they please, The Post wouldn’t be here today. The Post is here today simply because it knows how to legally, politically, financially and otherwise fight for its continued existence.
This should not be accepted as the way to run our country’s media, especially our private radio and television stations. Yes some callers might have said something unacceptable on Sky FM radio. But surely should that be used to close down the entire radio station? If this should be allowed to be so, then one would only need angels for the management of radio and television stations. We will also need saints to be the listeners or audience of these radio stations; every caller to these radio or television station programmes would have to be an angel or a saint. But is this possible? The answer is a categorical no. Not even Rupiah or his ministers are anywhere near being angels or saints; they are nothing but sinful little ogres. Imagine if Rupiah’s government had to be disbanded for any wrong word that is uttered by himself, his ministers, cadres and other supporters! Imagine if all radio and television stations were determined not to broadcast anything until they are sure it would offend nobody – there would be very little, if not nothing, broadcast.
We hold that the greatest right in the world is the right to be wrong, that in the exercise thereof, people have an inviolable right to express their unbridled thoughts on all topics and personalities, being liable only for the abuse of that right. It is said that every man or woman should have an undoubted right to lay what sentiments he or she pleases before the public; to forbid this, is to destroy the freedom of the media; if he or she broadcasts or airs or indeed publishes what is improper, mischievous, or illegal, he or she must take the consequences of his or her own temerity. Of course, it must be appreciated that the right to be heard does not include the right to be taken seriously. As a corollary, it can also be said that the mere fact that speech is accompanied by conduct does not mean that speech should be suppressed or a radio or television station should be closed under the guise of prohibiting the conduct.
Clearly, the solution to this problem is not to close radio or television stations, but to broaden the level of public discourse so that erroneous words and other unacceptable utterances can be corrected.
We therefore urge the Zambian people to come to the defence of Sky FM Radio in the same way they defended Kitwe’s Radio Icengelo when it was under attack from some foolish and narrow-minded people. Whatever their displeasures, Shikapwasha and his friends should be made to realise that closing Sky FM or any other radio or television station will be political suicide for themselves. Sky FM radio does not only belong to Geoffrey Hambulo; it belongs to all of us who listen to it and use it. And as such, we all have a duty to defend this radio station whenever it comes under attack.
We also plead with our fellow listeners of Sky FM radio to be civil in their discussions when they participate on phone-in programmes. They should not hide under anonymity. They should only say things that they would be able to say if their identities were in the open; they should only say things they are able to defend and prove. The nation does not benefit anything from lies. It is truthful discussions that are going to push this country forward. Radio programmes are not there for people to deliberately peddle lies and justifiably injure the reputation of others. Liars and cynics have never built any strong community.
To Shikapwasha and his friends, and indeed all others who are offended on radio or television stations, we refer them to a saying of Nelson Mandela: “None of our irritations with the perceived inadequacies of the media should ever allow us to even suggest faintly that the independence of the media should be compromised or coerced.” And they should not forget that it is said that a bad free media is preferable to a technically good but subservient media.
We would hope that the media in Zambia is given enough space to develop a greater professional integrity and responsibility so that it truly becomes the guardian of democracy and freedom in our country. And this can only be truly achieved with respect for its audience, the targets of its criticism and reporting, and above all else, through its own integrity as a social institution.
Labels: MONZE, RADIO SKY FM, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA
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Monze hospital closes intensive care unit, specialised clinics
Written by Pride Bwalya in Monze and Maluba Jere in Lusaka
Sunday, June 07, 2009 3:45:38 PM
MONZE Mission Hospital has closed its intensive care unit, specialised clinics and restricted attendance to the out-patient department to emergency cases only due to the continued strike by workers. And the strike by health workers at the University Teaching Hospital has also continued, leaving patients stranded.
Meanwhile, Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) president Dr Swebby Macha has urged the Ministry of Health to be proactive in addressing health workers’ conditions of service.
Monze Mission Hospital executive director Dr John Mvula disclosed yesterday that some departments at the institution were unable to operate due to the continued strike action by workers who are pressing for improved working conditions.
Dr Mvula said apart from the theatre, specialised clinics at the hospital had been closed including the intensive care unit while the outpatient department was only attending to emergencies until further notice.
He has since appealed to the government to conclude the negotiations over conditions of service for government workers in order to ensure that hospitals in the country were spared from the ongoing strike.
Dr Mvula said workers at the hospital had been on strike for almost two weeks and only a few who might have taken Christian values seriously by virtue of the institution being a missionary hospital were reporting for work.
He said due to a reduced number of staff reporting for work, the hospital management had resorted to handling emergence operations only and cancelled all elective cases which were not life threatening.
Dr Mvula said the government must address the issue immediately because health institutions were dealing with human life and if the situation continued, a number of lives could be lost.
He added that routine laboratory and X-ray investigations had also been suspended while only a few midwife nurses were attending to deliveries at the labour ward.
Dr Mvula said all this had resulted into unusual operations of the hospital as pressure of work kept on mounting on the few that had been reporting for work.
He said the situation was so critical because Monze Mission Hospital did not only attend to the Monze community but also people from other parts of the country.
Dr Mvula said volunteers from within the Monze community and the church were helping to maintain the surroundings of the hospital.
And UTH public relations manager Pauline Mbangweta said yesterday that the strike by health workers at the institution had persisted and hoped the problem could be resolved soon.
She said the health workers at the institution were only attending to emergency cases.
“The situation hasn’t changed and we are only dealing with emergencies,” said Mbangweta. “But all life saving areas are covered. We can only hope the workers could return to work so we can avoid losing lives.”
Health minister Kapembwa Simbao has appealed to striking nurses to resume work as the government continued negotiating with their union leaders.
The striking nurses are demanding for a K1.5 million salary increment across the board.
And in an interview yesterday, Dr Macha said health workers were a cornerstone of a healthy delivery system in any part of the world hence the need for their conditions of service to be addressed.
He said the strike action by health workers that had paralysed operations at health institutions in the country was unfortunate, saying it had put the lives of patients at risk.
“We would like to see a situation where all operations are normalised because our primary concern is to save life,” Dr Macha said.
He has appealed to both the government and the negotiating teams to resolve the standoff and prevent further lives from being lost.
“As the ZMA, we are doing everything possible to resolve the standoff. We are appealing to both parties to find common grounds to avoid the further loss of lives,” said Dr Macha. “Health workers are a cornerstone of every health delivery system, let us value and return them.”
Labels: HEALTHCARE, MONZE
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Sichilindi warns Monze farmers against forming illegal bodies
Written by Pride Bwalya in Monze
Thursday, June 04, 2009 11:40:06 PM
FARMERS in Monze district have been warned against forming illegal cooperative societies to dubiously obtain fertiliser under the government’s fertiliser support programme (FSP).
Addressing small-scale farmers from different cooperative societies at farmers training centre in Monze on Wednesday, district cooperatives inspector Godfrey Sichilindi said farmers that would be found wanting during the 2009/2010 farming season would be prosecuted.
Sichilindi said during the 2008/2009 farming season, a number of illegal cooperative societies were discovered and had brought up a lot of confusions in the FSP exercise in Monze district.
He said there were situations where some illegal cooperatives were registered under the same name of genuine ones and managed to swindle the genuine cooperatives by accessing the inputs.
Sichilindi said this season, distribution of farming inputs under the FSP could begin much earlier compared to last year, adding that fertiliser could be delivered to the district very soon.
And Zambia Police Service sub-inspector under the Criminal Investigation Department, Dickson Sumpa, told the farmers that there were a number of cases reported to the police on matters of malpractices concerning the FSP.
Sumpa said it had been observed that problems were actually emanating from the executive members of some cooperative societies who were not being honest in their dealings.
He said cooperative societies did not belong to chairpersons but to members that came together for a particular purpose and that they all needed to benefit from the initiative.
Sumpa said some chairpersons were collecting a lot of money from members exceeding the amount of fertiliser allocated to their cooperatives which was against the guidelines.
He said executive members were supposed to ensure that cooperatives were managed in line with the guidelines and the cooperatives constitution provided.
Sumpa said executive members needed to handle the responsibility of collecting the inputs under FSP during the distribution exercise, adding that police would not hesitate to take action against those who would be reported for any illegal act in the distribution of the FSP inputs.
Meanwhile, co-operative societies in Monze have been called upon to uphold integrity and high moral standards that would contribute effectively to the social economic development of the country.
District agriculture coordinator Justine Ngosa said this when he officially opened a two-day mushroom production training workshop for cooperative societies at Monze farmers training centre (FTC) on Wednesday.
Ngosa said a number of cooperatives could not uphold integrity and high moral standards due to lack of transparency and accountability.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, FARMERS, FSP, FTC, GODFREY SICHILINDI, JUSTINE NGOSA, MONZE
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MMD policies have destroyed local govt system, says Mwiimbu
Written by Ernest Chanda
MONZE UPND member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu on Tuesday accused the MMD government of destroying the local government system in the country. And Kabwata PF member of parliament Given Lubinda has accused the local government minister of abrogating the local government Act.
Debating this year's estimates of expenditure for the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, Mwiimbu said the MMD's poor policies had destroyed the system.
"The local government system in Zambia has collapsed due to poor policies of the MMD. When the MMD came into power in 1991, the first act they made was to destroy the local government system. Because of their bad policies, cholera is now being celebrated as if it's a traditional ceremony. How do you expect any reasonable investor to come and invest in Kanyama where roads are bad? And Lusaka has now become an open air market because of street vending," Mwiimbu complained.
"Any responsible government is supposed to provide for every resident. The local government as I am speaking now has collapsed. How do you expect workers in local authority to provide their best when they have not been paid for three years? It is therefore incumbent upon any government to improve the local government system for good service delivery."
Mwiimbu, who boasted of having run the local government system well when he served as Lusaka Town Clerk, explained that every city in the world had developed because of support from the central government.
"I would like to state without fear of contradiction that there is no city in the world that has developed without funding from central government. Even major cities in the world like London and New York receive funding from the central government. It's fallacious to expect a town like Shang'ombo to find money to pay its workers," Mwiimbu said.
And Kabwata member of parliament Given Lubinda said the government had failed to serve the people going by the failure in the council's operations.
"The local government Act states that every first week of September there shall be a council meeting, and the first item on the agenda shall be the election of Mayor. Already this is March and we have no sign of mayoral elections. This has clearly destroyed the local government system. And the minister is clearly going against the Act. Instead of calling for mayoral elections, all we see is a circular talking about councillors' allowances. Councils don't want allowances but authority to run their affairs well," Lubinda said.
"Government is supposed to pay K7.4 billion annually to the Lusaka City Council in form of property rates. But only K600 million was given to Lusaka City Council in 2006. You set their [councils] property rate and you don't want to give them power. The failure of any council is a reflection of the failure of any government. People are saying this government is a failure. A government that can't collect solid waste, a government that can't collect sanitation waste, is a failure. The ministry of local government is currently squatting in a property for which it is not paying."
Lubinda also proposed that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) be legislated.
"May I propose that CDF be an Act of Parliament. It must not be the discretion of a minister, but it must pass through this House. May the minister introduce an Act of Parliament that will give guidelines on the use of CDF. We do not like it when our colleagues appear in courts on issues of CDF. That reduces the integrity of this House," said Lubinda.
Labels: DECENTRALIZATION, GIVEN LUBINDA, JACK MWIIMBU, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MONZE
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Govt begins auditing FSP in Monze
Written by George Zulu in Monze
Monday, February 16, 2009 5:10:47 AM
THE Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Monze has begun the process of auditing the government-sponsored Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP).
Sources in the ministry revealed on Friday that an auditor had been sent in response to the revelations of abuse of the FSP involving some named government officials in the district.
The sources alleged that some officials in the ministry were not happy with reports indicating that over 5,000 bags of the fertiliser had gone missing and that one member of staff collected over 60 bags of fertilizer at the expense of the small-scale farmers.
The sources said there was an urgent need to scrutinise and authenticate cooperatives if the FSP exercise was to bear positive results in food security.
They further said some officers in the department of agriculture had taken advantage of the porous system to allocate themselves huge amounts of the FSP fertiliser.
And police in Monze have withheld over 32 bags of fertiliser found at the Farmers Training Institute (FTI) believed to have been obtained from the FSP exercise belonging to a named cooperatives officer.
Police sources said that they were waiting for further instructions from the district agricultural coordinator (DACO), Justine Ngosa, on the matter.
Monze District received 54,720 bags of fertiliser under FSP to benefit 6,840 households but over 5,000 bags were allegedly misdirected before the government sent an additional consignment of over 2,000 bags of fertiliser.
And marketing officer Zandonda Tembo refused to comment saying the DACO and the District Commissioner were better placed to give a full details on the matter.
Labels: FSP, MONZE
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Farmers miss out on inputs
MORE than 700 small-scale farmers in Monze have not received their fertiliser under the fertiliser support programme (FSP) despite making down payments for the inputs.
This came to light during a meeting at the District Commissioner’s office yesterday where it was also revealed that the number of farmers that were made to pay for the inputs exceeded the allocation of the inputs to the district.
Southern Province acting agriculture co-coordinator, Adreen Nansungwe said the development was regrettable because there was no indication that there would be a second allocation of the inputs.
She said a similar development had occurred in Kalomo adding that it would be difficult to refund the farmers who may eventually not receive any inputs for the current season because the money deposited was already in Government coffers.
Dr Nansungwe pointed out that the marketing and cooperatives department and the district agriculture committee were supposed to have ensured that guidelines were followed and balance their books according to the targets and the inputs allocated to the district.
She, however, appealed to the affected farmers to remain calm as the matter would be referred to higher authorities.
Monze District Commissioner, Joyce Nondo said she was disappointed that the officers involved in the administration of the FSP did not do their work properly.
She emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in implementing the FSP saying the programme was aimed at helping vulnerable small-scale farmers to enhance output.
Acting Monze district agriculture coordinator, Justine Ngosa attributed the problem to an administrative lapse and expressed hope that the hiccup would not recur next year.
Ufwenuka Ward councillor, Tenara Mwanakalanga said in an interview earlier that, out of 38 cooperatives in his area, nine did not receive the inputs despite making payments.
The councillor called for the revision of the system of implementing the FSP in order to avoid corruption and other malpractices that would only disadvantage small-scale farmers, instead of empowering them.
Some farmers had received seed and not fertiliser.-ZANIS
Labels: FERTILIZER, FSP, MONZE
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Monze council to deny erring businesses trading licences
Written by George Zulu in Monze
Saturday, January 03, 2009 7:27:07 AM
MONZE district council will not issue trading licences and permits to business houses that will fail to comply with the council regulations.
According to a notice to all business houses dated December 31, 2008 issued and signed by deputy district council secretary Kalobwe Mwila and copied to the local government officer, the council will not issue new trading licences and permits to violators of the local authority’s regulations.
Some of the requirements for renewal of licences entail business houses having health and fire certificates, dust bins, clean painted shops, ventilation and having no goods displayed along the corridors.
Mwila indicated that the requirements were in line with the Keep Zambia Clean and Healthy campaign launched by the late president Levy Mwanawasa.
And the council has started closing bars and taverns that were operating beyond stipulated hours.
Last Saturday, a combined team of state police and council officers swung into action, closing bars and taverns which were deemed to be a health hazard to members of the public.
Council officials said some of the bars and taverns closed were operating in poor sanitary conditions while others played loud music which was contrary to the Public Health Act.
Operators were made to pay a fine of K270, 000 and to ensure that sanitary facilities were made available before resuming operations.
Labels: COUNCILS, LICENSES, MONZE
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