PAN AFRICAN RADIO 105.1 FM 12:30 HOURS MAIN NEWS THURSDAY, 11TH MAY 2017

Notice: Undefined index: catFilterList in /home/zambi/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-likes/api.php on line 243

By Derrick Sinjela, Jessie Zimba and  Fulman James Mukobeko 

HEADLINES

====

– A defence lawyer in the treason charge slapped on Hakainde Hichilema and five others wonders why police made arrests without investigating the offence.

– May 11^th 1981 is a dead legendary reggae Bob Marley artiste passed away aged 36.

-In Foreign news, A proposal to boost NATO forces in Afghanistan will be on the agenda of a meeting between the alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and German Chancellor Angela Merkel today.

====

With the main news in detail I am

======

Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) Executive Director Wesley Chibamba has congratulated Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for being elected to serve on the board of the Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities in Africa (AACAA).

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) as an institution and the Acting Director General Kapetwa Phiri has been elected to serve as Vice President on the board of the Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities in Africa (AACAA).

The TIZ Executive Director said the Anti-Corruption Commissions and agencies in the African region have shown confidence in the Zambian ACC to the effect that they have chosen them to represent the other commissions and agencies on the board.

Chibamba noted that the confidence exhibited by the African Anti-Corruption Commissions in the Zambian ACC is in good faith and requires everyone’s support in Zambia and the entire region.

He said the appointment of the ACC to serve as vice president on the board of the Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities in Africa (AACAA) means that Zambia now sits at a very strategic position to influence Anti-Corruption policy in the region.

Chibamba added that the appointment puts Zambia in a very unique position to learn and share best practices with other African countries in the fight against corruption.

He has since urged the ACC to take full advantage of the opportunity and remain steadfast in their work, affirming that the ACC has continued to make positive strides in the fight against corruption but there still remains room for a lot of improvement for them to be truly effective and win the full confidence of the Zambian people.

And Chibamba said the appointment also serves as a challenge to the ACC to remain above board and exemplary in their execution of their duties such that their appointment to the board will be credited to have been on merit.

He also urged them to be swift and thorough in their investigations, impartial in the execution of their duties, to investigate and prosecute even serving public office bearers.

The TIZ Executive Director further encouraged the ACC to be reasonably communicative with regards to what they are doing on a number of corruption allegations including on issues stemming out of the Auditor General’s report.

=================

Community Development and Social Services Minister Emerine Kabanshi says her ministry is grateful for increased financial support to the Social Cash Transfer Programme from K10 million to K30 million from the Irish government.

Speaking to the Irish government officials at her office, Ms. Kabanshi said the money received will compliment government’s agenda in scaling up the Social Cash Transfer Programme projected to reach about 590, 000 beneficiary households by December 2017 from the current 242, 000 households.

She said poverty levels will alleviate at a faster rate with the contribution her minister has received from the Irish government and other corporate partners.

Cue in Kabanshi on Ireland

And Irish Ambassador Seamus O’Gray says his government’s contribution is a good example of how cooperating partners work together for the vulnerable people in Zambia.

O’Gray said Ireland is committed to combatting poverty and hunger through its Development co-operation programme by supporting the Social Cash Transfer under Zambia’s Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.

Cue in O’Gray on Kabanshi

=====

A defence lawyer in the treason charge slapped on Hakainde Hichilema and five others wonders why police made arrests without investigating the offence.

Defense Lawyer Keith Mweemba is puzzled how Hichilema was arrested without investigations.

But a State witness says he was convinced that Hichilema had committed treason after doing his own investigations.

At this point, Mweemba asked when the state witness was in Mongu and whether the officer was on duty or just visiting.

State witness says he was in Mongu on 8th April, 2017 and attended the Kuomboka ceremony.

And defense lawyer Mweemba asks whether the state witness did record a statement from anyone in Mongu

But State witness responded in the negative, saying he did not record a statement from anyone.

=======

United Progress People (UPP) president Saviuor Chishimba has commended the state for entering a nolle prosequi in one of counts against Hichilema.

Dr Chishimba said while UPP commends the State for abandoning the prosecution in one of Hichilema’s counts it notes with regret that this is not in respect with the treason charge which is very aggressive.

========

Meanwhile, Republican Progressive Party (RPP) vice president Lesley Chikuse says President Edgar Lungu has a chance to win the hearts of many Zambians if he graciously reconcile with his bitter political rival Hakainde Hichilema.

Chikuse said the President should be bold enough and dialogue with Hichilema for the good of the country.

He said tension that has resurfaced since the last election   are not good for a developing country like Zambia.

Cue in Chikuse

May 11^th 1981 is a dead legendary reggae Bob Marley artiste passed away aged 36.

Despite being relatively young Marley born Robert Marley had captivated international with socio commentary like redemption song and no woman no cry.

Today Marley could have been 72 but despite his demise his music has remained relevant as many people continue struggling for redemption.

Cue in Bob Marley redemption song

=======

Senior Blind Citizen Elijah Ngwale has praised Government for according the late Salome, wife to freedom fighter Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe a 3 day national mourning.

Ngwale said it is worth noting that the state has recognized Mama Salome’s contribution to the Zambian liberation struggle.

He said the State should go a step further by naming a significant national building as Salome Kapwepwe.

Cue in Ngwale

=======

Lusaka youths have expressed concern over Kabwata Member of Parliament (MP) Given Lubinda’s move to name a play park in Lusaka’s Kamwala South after his name.

The trio of Mimi Sakala, Gabriel Chipman and Melody Mailo who are among the youths that have petitioned the Lusaka City Council to reverse the Kabwata MP’s move to name the play park as Given Lubinda Foundation, said Lubinda’s move is arbitrary.

They said Lubinda is being selfish as the play park is supposed to benefit the youths in Kabwata constituency hence it should not be in his name.

Cue in Youths on Lubinda

=====

The Zambia Revenue Authority has moved in with warrants of distress and garnishee orders on all business organizations that have not met their tax obligations or have not entered into payment plans with the authority.

ZRA Public Corporate Communications Manager Topsy Sikalinda said this also includes tax payers who have abrogated their time to pay agreements.

Sikalinda who was hasty to advise that the Amnesty on interests and penalties is still open until the 31st of July 2017 said the business organizations are therefore encouraged to take advantage of the amnesty and put their tax accounts in order.

He explicated that the amnesty allows tax payers to have a 100 percent waiver on interests and penalties provided the principal taxes are cleared.

====

Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya says the export ban on maize and maize products has been lifted.

Speaking at government complex yesterday, Siliya said the maize carry-over stock from last season has been added to the maize production of the 2016/2017 agriculture season and the total supply of maize available for the 2017/2018 marketing season is 4, 175, 866 metric tonnes.

She said the total maize requirements for the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) include an anticipated national strategic reserve stock of 500, 000 metric tonnes.

Siliya said the food balance sheet indicates that the country has recorded a maize surplus of 1, 178,516 metric tonnes.

Cue in Siliya on Maize

And World Food Programme (WFP) Representative and Country Director Simon Cammelbeeck has congratulated Zambian farmers for the bumper harvest in their diversified crop production.

Cammelbeeck says the organization is pleased with Agriculture Minister, Dora Siliya’s appeal to look at value edition and other ways in which farmers get their income, reports Pan African Radio Journalist Jessie Zimba in Lusaka.

Cue in Cammelbeeck on Dora

But Grain Traders Association of Zambia (GTAZ) Chairperson Chambuleni Simwinga says the lifted maize ban is a good move although farmers will face challenges in exporting their maize as foreign countries have lost trust in the farmers.

Simwinga said Tanzania and Kenya prefer exporting maize from South Africa and Mexico hence, the farmers may experience wastage as there will be insufficient maize storage.

Cue in Simwinga on Dora

=======

Water Development Sanitation and Environmental Protection Minister Lloyd Kaziya says government is working on cost reflective water tariffs in line with government’s pro-poor policies.

Mr. Kaziya while acknowledging that there is need to adjust water tariffs, the ministry is setting the price of water taking into considerations income of domestic and commercial consumers.

Speaking during a media briefing, Mr. Kaziya adds that government is collaborating with the private and water utility companies in ensuring that water tariffs are affordable to all consumers.

Meanwhile Mr. Kaziya who is also Matero Member of Parliament says government is conducting work on preservation of water capturing rain water.

He says the ministry is trying to collect all the water that annually goes to waste in major cities through construction of primary drainages.

He is urging Zambians to prudently utilize water as it is a priceless commodity.

Speaking earlier World Wide Fund for Nature Zambia Head of Communications and Marketing Eneya Phiri has expressed concern that 4.8 million Zambians still have no access to clean water.

Mr. Phiri says the fact that most Zambians have no access to clean water has prompted them to launch an online and offline campaign dubbed the journey of water which is using the power of the media to raise public awareness and demand for sustainable management for water.

He says the campaign will focus on the Kafue River which is the Zambia s largest tributary to the Zambezi covering the Copperbelt, Central, Southern and Lusaka provinces.

====

Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) is on a countrywide marathon to mobilise supporters and creating structures ahead of the 2021 elections.

Speaking in an interview with Pan African Radio PEP Leader Sean Enoch Tembo said his party is ready to form Government in the forth-coming elections.

He said the Zambian people are looking for an alternative from the PF which he said has failed to deliver on its campaign promises.

Cue in Sean Tembo on PEP  

National Restoration Party (NAREP) National Youth Chairperson Medson Mugala says ZESCO‘s electricity tariffs hike is an indication that the Patriotic Front (PF) led Government lack a will to uplift the living conditions of many suffering Zambians.

In a statement unveiled to the media, Mugala said the PF  has since 2011 failed to improve living condition for Zambians, as  there is no relaxation in taxing citizens, poor trade conditions, increased borrowing rates under the current Government.

He noted that under the PF led Government, every upward adjustment like increment of prices of commodities come with a story that proceeds will benefit the majority, predominantly rural community which is not the case.

The NAREP National Youth Chairperson has since noted that it is disastrous that electricity has been increased to a tune of 50% and awaiting another addition 25% in a few months’ time.

========

We now take a short break but still to come in foreign news

====

Foreign

=====

Nigerian Women’s Affairs Minister Aisha Alhassan says the 103 school girls released from captivity by Islamist militants Boko Haram in Chibok, north-east Nigeria, will go back to school in September

Ms. Alhassan said the girls will be ready psychologically adding that the rehabilitation center in Abuja, where some of the girls are been kept will be closed.

She said the girls include the 82 released on Saturday.

She also said that their psychological state is better than when the 21 came and she believes that between now and September the other ones will be able to stabilize and be taken to school in September.

====

A US backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters has fully captured the city of Tabqa and a strategic dam nearby from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL, also known as ISIS.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) says it has taken full control of the contested city with the help of US-led coalition air raids after more than a month of heavy fighting.
Ghadab al-Furat is a Kurdish group fighting under the SDF and they launched a campaign in October 2016 to retake  Raqqa, the de facto capital of the ISIL in northern Syria.Jihan Sheikh of the Ghadab al-Furat said their forces have seized control of both the dam and the city of Tabqa dubbed Wrath of the Euphrates.

====

We now come to the end of the news but before we go a recap of the headlines

=====

– A defence lawyer in the treason charge slapped on Hakainde Hichilema and five others wonders why police made arrests without investigating the offence.

– May 11^th 1981 is a dead legendary reggae Bob Marley artiste passed away aged 36.

-In Foreign news, A proposal to boost NATO forces in Afghanistan will be on the agenda of a meeting between the alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and German Chancellor Angela Merkel today.

====

This has been with the 1230 hours main news. Join us for the news summary at 14 hours. www.derricksinjela.blogspot.com