President Rupiah Banda on April 23 nominated first President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda to represent Zambia at the dinner to be hosted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Commonwealth.
President Banda said it was his wish to use the services and experience of former Heads of State in various local and international engagements and had thus nominated Dr. Kaunda to represent Zambia at the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth in London because of the vast knowledge and interaction, which the first President had with the Commonwealth.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth will host a Dinner on April 28, 2009 to be attended by three Representatives of the Commonwealth Member Countries. President Banda has also nominated Lusaka Lawyer Ms Maria Dras-Neves and Zambian High Commissioner to London Mr. Anderson Chibwa to accompany Dr. Kaunda to the function. Dr Kaunda turns 85 years old on April 28, 2009.
Friday, April 24, 2009
RB Appoints Mutati to Replace Siliya
President Mr. Rupiah Banda on April 23, 2009 appointed Commerce and Industry Minister Felix Mutati, MP to act as Minister of Communications and Transport following the resignation of Honourable Dora Siliya, MP. The president said Mutati will act as Minister of Communications and Transport until such a time when a substantive Minister is appointed.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Article 46(3) of the Constitution, Chapter 1 of the Laws of Zambia and Section 4 of the Statutory Functions Act, Chapter 4 of the Laws of Zambia, I have with immediate effect assigned you as Minister of Communications and Transport until such time that I revoke the appointment,” President Banda said in a letter to Honourable Mutati.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Article 46(3) of the Constitution, Chapter 1 of the Laws of Zambia and Section 4 of the Statutory Functions Act, Chapter 4 of the Laws of Zambia, I have with immediate effect assigned you as Minister of Communications and Transport until such time that I revoke the appointment,” President Banda said in a letter to Honourable Mutati.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
RB Visits Livingstone
President Rupiah Banda will on April 24 leave for Livingstone for a two-day working visit. He is expected to officiate at the 18th Ordinary Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Lusaka while on April 25 the president will attend the Annual Ball of the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) where he is the Guest of Honour. The President will also hold talks with various government officials while in Livingstone.
Accompanying the president to Livingstone is the Presidential Affairs Minister Ronald Mukuma, MP, deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Mr. Robert Mataka and other senior Government officials. The president will return to Lusaka April 26.
Accompanying the president to Livingstone is the Presidential Affairs Minister Ronald Mukuma, MP, deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Mr. Robert Mataka and other senior Government officials. The president will return to Lusaka April 26.
Settling Dust or Settling Old Scores
Zambians and politics is what makes them a distinct lot. The past weeks the Dora Siliya tribunal and the evidence that came out of it became the fodder the opposition parties and some civil society organisations used as battering rams against the Rupiah Banda administration.
Somehow in Zambia's politics here was something that could be used to cause embarrassment or possibly bring great discomfort to Rupiah's government.
Once the tribunal had reported, the decision suggesting that Dora Siliya did not breach the Ministerial and Parliamentary Code of Conduct Act - under which the tribunal was set up - but, according to the tribunal - had breach the constitution of Zambia - the opposition and civil society were quick to change their stance. They now demanded that not only Siliya should be fired but the vice president George Kunda as well. Further they put pressure on the president to act quickly and even suggested that delay implied he too was guilty - or was an accomplice in breaching the constitution of Zambia.
Thus Dora's resignation, in these circles in now seen as inadequate because it was not our of Rupiah's decision but because Dora had saved the president from making such a decision. So complaints on this issue will continue for some time.
But apart politics the only thing Zambians appear to be in agreement is football. So no Zambian has attacked President Banda for raising money for the national team to prepare for CAN 2010 in Angola and the possible first time appearance of Zambia at the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.
Somehow in Zambia's politics here was something that could be used to cause embarrassment or possibly bring great discomfort to Rupiah's government.
Once the tribunal had reported, the decision suggesting that Dora Siliya did not breach the Ministerial and Parliamentary Code of Conduct Act - under which the tribunal was set up - but, according to the tribunal - had breach the constitution of Zambia - the opposition and civil society were quick to change their stance. They now demanded that not only Siliya should be fired but the vice president George Kunda as well. Further they put pressure on the president to act quickly and even suggested that delay implied he too was guilty - or was an accomplice in breaching the constitution of Zambia.
Thus Dora's resignation, in these circles in now seen as inadequate because it was not our of Rupiah's decision but because Dora had saved the president from making such a decision. So complaints on this issue will continue for some time.
But apart politics the only thing Zambians appear to be in agreement is football. So no Zambian has attacked President Banda for raising money for the national team to prepare for CAN 2010 in Angola and the possible first time appearance of Zambia at the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.
Lumwana, Mopani part
LUMWANA Mining Company has cancelled its concentrate sale and purchase agreements with Mopani Copper Mines and Glencore International because of technical differences on the concentrates produced by Lumwana.
Lumwana managing director, Harry Michael said in Solwezi April 21 that the agreement was cancelled after Mopani smelter in Mufulira could not accept Lumwana's concentrates saying they did not meet technical specification.
“There is now no agreement with Mopani, it was cancelled,” Mr Michael said of the five-year-year agreement signed with Mopani and Glencore for balance of Lumwana concentrate.
While Mopani and Glencore said that Lumwana concentrate did not meet contract specifications, Lumwana maintained that its concentrates were within contract specifications. Mr Michael, whose mine was recently commissioned by President Rupiah Banda, said Lumwana was now taking its concentrates to Chambishi Copper Smelter and other sources.
Meanwhile, Lumwana says it expects to finally receive the surface rights from Government this week following recent fruitful discussions with Lands Minster, Peter Daka.
Lumwana managing director, Harry Michael said in Solwezi April 21 that the agreement was cancelled after Mopani smelter in Mufulira could not accept Lumwana's concentrates saying they did not meet technical specification.
“There is now no agreement with Mopani, it was cancelled,” Mr Michael said of the five-year-year agreement signed with Mopani and Glencore for balance of Lumwana concentrate.
While Mopani and Glencore said that Lumwana concentrate did not meet contract specifications, Lumwana maintained that its concentrates were within contract specifications. Mr Michael, whose mine was recently commissioned by President Rupiah Banda, said Lumwana was now taking its concentrates to Chambishi Copper Smelter and other sources.
Meanwhile, Lumwana says it expects to finally receive the surface rights from Government this week following recent fruitful discussions with Lands Minster, Peter Daka.
Medical practitioners heed MCZ warning
DOCTORS and other health practitioners who have not renewed their 2009 practising certificates countrywide have started flocking to the Medical Council of Zambia (MCZ) for the renewal of their practising licences.
MCZ spokesperson Larry Njungu said in an interview yesterday that the health practitioners had started flocking to the secretariat to normalise their membership with the professional body.
A fortnight ago MCZ registrar, Mary Zulu revealed that more than 5,800 medical doctors and other health practitioners countrywide had not renewed their 2009 practising certificates by March 31, 2009. Dr Zulu said only 34 per cent of the registered members had paid up and she warned that the MCZ would have no option but deregister all the defaulting doctors and other health practitioners.
Following this threat, Mr Njungu said, the practitioners had started paying up to the council to avoid being penalised.
“I can assure you that the response has been overwhelming and everyday we have members coming to register following the threat to de-register them,” he said.
As at March 31 2009, only 2,948 practitioners out of 8,770 in the MCZ register had renewed their certificates. Out of 1,600 medical doctors in the country, only 610 had renewed the membership with the council while out of the 2,560 clinical officers only 800 had done so. Of the more than 1,100 environmental health technicians only 248 had renewed their certificates and of 274 physiotherapy technologists only 86 had renewed their practising papers by March 31, 2009. Mr Njungu could, however, not give figures in terms of the actual practitioners who had so far turned up for the renewal saying he could only do so after the April 30 for the monthly entries.
“Our data base is run in such a way that we can only give the actual update after month end. The update is done monthly,” he said.
The Medical and Allied Professions Act Chapter 297 of the Laws of Zambia does not allow professionals in the sector to practice without due certificates or licences.
MCZ spokesperson Larry Njungu said in an interview yesterday that the health practitioners had started flocking to the secretariat to normalise their membership with the professional body.
A fortnight ago MCZ registrar, Mary Zulu revealed that more than 5,800 medical doctors and other health practitioners countrywide had not renewed their 2009 practising certificates by March 31, 2009. Dr Zulu said only 34 per cent of the registered members had paid up and she warned that the MCZ would have no option but deregister all the defaulting doctors and other health practitioners.
Following this threat, Mr Njungu said, the practitioners had started paying up to the council to avoid being penalised.
“I can assure you that the response has been overwhelming and everyday we have members coming to register following the threat to de-register them,” he said.
As at March 31 2009, only 2,948 practitioners out of 8,770 in the MCZ register had renewed their certificates. Out of 1,600 medical doctors in the country, only 610 had renewed the membership with the council while out of the 2,560 clinical officers only 800 had done so. Of the more than 1,100 environmental health technicians only 248 had renewed their certificates and of 274 physiotherapy technologists only 86 had renewed their practising papers by March 31, 2009. Mr Njungu could, however, not give figures in terms of the actual practitioners who had so far turned up for the renewal saying he could only do so after the April 30 for the monthly entries.
“Our data base is run in such a way that we can only give the actual update after month end. The update is done monthly,” he said.
The Medical and Allied Professions Act Chapter 297 of the Laws of Zambia does not allow professionals in the sector to practice without due certificates or licences.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
New Copper mine opens in North West
Despite the world economic downturn President Rupiah Banda on April 17, 2009 commissioned the Lumwana Mine project in North Western Province. The president told mining firms to invest in processing metal locally to make copper exports more profitable.
President Banda said the launch of Lumwana, Zambia’s largest opencast mining project since independence offers the country a lot of lessons through hard times caused by the global financial melt down.
He said the first lesson for Zambia from the project that marks a major turning point in the economic destiny of Lumwana and North-Western Province, was that for the country to succeed, it needed perseverance.
The second lesson Zambia could learn from the project, he said, was that success did not come easily, as during the period of planning and development of the Lumwana project, colossal amounts of money was invested in infrastructure, mining facilities, community sustainability and business development programmes. The project took 12 years to develop and Equinox invested over U$1 billion, which included the development of a modern new town in Lumwana.
He said the third lesson from the project was the value of mutual trust and partnership developed between the Government and Equinox.
Equinox has been in Zambia since 1996 and is the fifth investor in Lumwana. Equinox president and co-founder, Craig Williams said positive Government policies and the mining reforms attracted his company to invest in the sector at a time when the major mines were struggling.
And Mines and Minerals Development Minister, Maxwell Mwale praised Equinox for the investment.
President Banda said the launch of Lumwana, Zambia’s largest opencast mining project since independence offers the country a lot of lessons through hard times caused by the global financial melt down.
He said the first lesson for Zambia from the project that marks a major turning point in the economic destiny of Lumwana and North-Western Province, was that for the country to succeed, it needed perseverance.
The second lesson Zambia could learn from the project, he said, was that success did not come easily, as during the period of planning and development of the Lumwana project, colossal amounts of money was invested in infrastructure, mining facilities, community sustainability and business development programmes. The project took 12 years to develop and Equinox invested over U$1 billion, which included the development of a modern new town in Lumwana.
He said the third lesson from the project was the value of mutual trust and partnership developed between the Government and Equinox.
Equinox has been in Zambia since 1996 and is the fifth investor in Lumwana. Equinox president and co-founder, Craig Williams said positive Government policies and the mining reforms attracted his company to invest in the sector at a time when the major mines were struggling.
And Mines and Minerals Development Minister, Maxwell Mwale praised Equinox for the investment.
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