Residents of Serenje, Central Province have vowed to vote out the Patriotic Front-PF Government if it does not addressed the current land allocation scandal that has rocked the local authority in the area.
Residents’ representative Noble Chita says the people in the area voted for the PF because they wanted change which he says has unfortunately failed to be realized.
Mr Chita says there is too much corruption in the allocation of land at Serenje Council where some cadres and their children were recently awarded over ten plots each at the expense of elderly people

Chipolopolo U-23 and Zanaco FC goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata was on Wednesday
involved in a car accident on great east Road opposite Mulungushi International Conference centre.
The accident happened after his Toyota IST collided with a Hyundai.
ZANACO Coach Numba Mumamba, who confirmed the development to Tv2 sport, says the banker’s goal minder did NOT sustain serious injuries.
Mumamba says Toaster went for scan at the hospital on Thursday morning and has been given two days to rest.

The Young Women Christian Association says it wants President Edgar Lungu to send singer Clifford Dimba back to prison.
Commenting on President Lungu’s decision to pardon Clifford Dimba, aka General Kanene, who three days after his release from prison beat up one of his three wives, Sharon, YWCA president Lucy Lungu said the Head of State should revoke his prerogative of mercy on the singer. “As YWCA, we appeal to the President to live up to the expectation of all those who are looking up to him to lead this new solidarity campaign for gender equality.
The Republican President, as a champion and ambassador of this campaign, should revoke the pardoning of General Kanene so that he serves the remainder of his sentence in prison,” she said. Lucy said her organisation believed that Kanene’s conviction and 18-year jail sentence sent a strong message to would-be perpetrators and clearly demonstrated that no one was above the law.
“It is sad that we do not have the powers that the President has but that is where we stand. We have been through this before where perpetrators of GBV are set free and that is why we advocated for longer sentences,” she said. Lucy said it was indisputable that Kanene did not repent. “His repentance is questionable because within such a short period of time, he has committed another crime.
We were even being told through the media that while he was in prison, they used to take him out to do other activities and so we wonder how much time he spent in prison,” complained Lucy.

A grade 11 pupil at Chuundu High School in Choma has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a church roof after his guardians advised him to concentrate on his studies and stop flirting with a woman.
The body of Lastone Mulongo, 18, was found hanging inside Kasensa Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church on Tuesday around 08:00 hours.
Both Southern Province commissioner of police Mary Chikwanda and SDA Choma West Mission district pastor Albert Bwantu confirmed the development.
“At an unknown time, the deceased committed suicide by hanging himself to the roof of Kasensa SDA church. Information has it that the boy got annoyed after he was advised to concentrate on his education and stop flirting with a woman who was his lover,” Ms Chikwanda said.
She said the body of the pupil of Overspill township was picked up on Tuesday morning and taken to Choma General Hospital awaiting an autopsy and burial.
Ms Chikwanda said police are still investigating the matter to ascertain the actual cause of the pupil’s death.
And pastor Bwantu said the pupil was not a member of the church in which his body was found.
“I was informed that someone had committed suicide and that person was not a member of that church. He just decided to use our church,” the clergyman said.
Meanwhile, police in Mazabuka on Sunday arrested a 70-year-old man after he was allegedly caught in the act of defiling a three-year-old baby in a garden.
Ms Chikwanda identified the suspect as Stanly Matobo of Chitongo village in Mazabuka, who allegedly defiled the minor around 15:00 hours
She said the incident was reported to police by the owners of the garden in which the alleged defilement occurred.

LECTURERS and academic staff at Copperbelt University (CBU) have vowed to continue with the protest should vice-chancellor Professor Naison Ngoma and the entire management continue clinging on to their positions.
The lecturers are also disappointed that management at the institution has decided to hold this year’s graduation ceremony slated for today without the support of the academicians.
The lecturers want Prof Ngoma and the entire management to resign from their positions for allegedly lacking academic focus.
Copperbelt University Academics Union (CBUAU) president Mwiya Songolo said at a press briefing in Kitwe yesterday that lecturers will only report for work if Prof Ngoma resigns.
“As academicians, we have still continued to pass a vote of no confidence in Prof. Ngoma and the entire management. We are not getting back to work as long as the current management continue to hold on to their positions,” Mr Songolo said.
Mr Songolo said the union will write to Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education Michael Kaingu to guide him on the alternatives he should take to resolve the problems at CBU.
“We had a meeting with Dr Kaingu and I am sure you are keen to listen to what the meeting was all about. What I can say is that we will write to the minister to guide him and offer alternatives on how to address these problems,” he said.
Mr Songolo said the lecturers want Government to re-open the university to enable students to continue with their studies.
He also expressed disappointment that management at the institution will be holding this year’s graduation ceremony without the presence of the academicians.

By Timothy Kambilima

FROM the time Government liberalised the education sector, the country has seen a good number of colleges of education in the private sector.
Government did this to allow the private sector to supplement its efforts in the provision of tertiary education for teachers.
Before that, Government depended on provincial teacher training colleges and the two universities, University of Zambia (UNZA) and the Copperbelt University (CBU) to train teachers.
With the country facing a shortage of 22,000 teachers by September, 2014, according to Ministry of Education Deputy Minister David Mabumba, it was envisaged that private colleges of education and universities will help Government meet this shortfall.
Once the teachers are employed, they will help in improving the pupil-teacher ratio in most of our schools, especially rural areas.
The training of teachers for both primary and secondary education in the country is a collective responsibility of all concerned stakeholders in the education sector.
Private colleges of education should ensure that the development of quality teaching staff is achieved throughout the country.
In Zambia, many private colleges of education and government-run colleges of education are affiliated to the University of Zambia.
But the question is; are these private colleges of education operating according to UNZA regulations and requirements for better standards? Are these colleges recruiting students on merit?
As a person who has been in touch with the education sector for a long time, I have observed that many student teachers from private teacher training colleges are serving two masters at once.
Firstly, they are undergoing training at these colleges and at the same they enter for General Certificate of Education (GCE) examinations. Why do they do this? The answer is straight forward; they were accepted to train as teachers in spite of not meeting the entry requirements.
Some of these students don’t have the right Grade 12 certificates, hence they are compelled to clear or work on their certificates for them to be eligible to write college final examinations.
What do you expect from such student teachers?
No wonder invigilators have a torrid time when invigilating GCE examination candidates who try by all means to pass.
The same students will graduate and later become teachers in primary and secondary schools.
The end result will be that they will not deliver according to the expectations.
In the past, student teachers were screened through aptitude tests before they were taken in.
But today every Jim and Jack is taken on because the owners of private colleges of education are interested in money more than in quality.
These colleges of education that have mushroomed should not take Government for granted.
Government has created an enabling environment for private colleges to operate smoothly in Zambia, but they should also reciprocate the goodwill by maintaining standards because their students will be handling humans and not machines.
Government was concerned about the mushrooming of unregistered private colleges of education in Zambia, which is why it came up with the Teaching Council of Zambia through Parliament with a view to raising the standards of education in our country.
What then should be done to improve education standards in these private colleges of education?
The Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education, through the Teaching Council, should closely monitor the recruitment of students at all private colleges of education.
We must ensure that the entry requirements are adhered to all the time. Those who don’t qualify should not be offered places until they have cleared at Grade 12 (GCE) level.
Secondly, all private teacher training colleges must only be registered if they meet the requirements set by the Council.
One of the requirements is to have qualified lecturers and not diploma holders who are teaching in secondary schools.
In most cases, these ‘lecturers’ are employed on part time basis since they are occupied in the morning.
The district education board secretaries (DEBS) and school headteachers should ensure that student teachers applying for teaching experience or attachment have a Grade 12 certificate with acceptable grades.
Imagine your child being taught by a student teacher who is at the same time preparing to sit for four subjects under GCE and at the same getting ready for the college examinations.
How will such a student teacher prepare adequately to teach your child? The Examinations Council of Zambia, which was established in 1983, should be very proactive in the monitoring of examinations in these private colleges of education.
Lastly, private teacher training college owners should not put personal financial gain first, but add value to education standards.
Some primary and secondary school headteachers are now asking where the student teachers are coming from before being taken on for teaching practice.
The reason is simple; the training being offered to the students by the backyard colleges is not up to the required standard.
To those private colleges of education that are doing fine please keep it up, but those operating below the par, you need to pull up your socks and help the government meet its aim of offering quality education for all.
Many thanks to Jabes Mumba of Luanshya, Kingwell Mwanza, Tricia Bwalya of Ndola and Joseph Musonda of Lusaka for being ardent followers of the column.
Contact: timothykambilima@yahoo.com/Cell:0973026897

Kasama Central Member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwaba has promised the ruling PF a shock of its lifetime should a by-election be called in his constituency.
Mr. Mwamba, who has crossed the floor of Parliament by accepting the appointment to the position of UPND vice president for administration, believes it will be easy for him to defend the Parliamentary seat.
GBM 2
Geoffrey Mwaba
He has told Qfm News in an interview that his belief is premised on the confidence that he has that the people of Kasama Central still have trust and faith in him.
Mr. Mwamba says people of his constituency are fully aware that he is a loyal servant of theirs who is not there to represent them with the view of enriching himself.
He notes that this fact was clearly demonstrated when he first stood and won the Parliamentary seat under the PF ticket at the time that the MMD was a very strong political party in government.
Mr. Mwamba thinks that this shows that he won the Kasama Central Parliamentary seat the first time not because of the ruling PF but because of himself.
He says this is why even now he firmly believes that he will retain the Parliamentary seat even on the UPND ticket.
The Kasama Central Member of Parliament has also based his confidence of retaining the Parliamentary seat on the development that has taken place in his constituency in his time as its law maker.
He has referred to the tarring of most township roads, installation of traffic lights and the resuscitation of Kateshi Coffee Plantation as some the developments he has facilitated as area Member of Parliament.

Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) president Charles Milupi has charged that Zambia’s economy is in the Intensive Care Unit.
Mr Milupi says he does not see any sign on the horizon that the current state of the Zambian economy can be reversed.
He says his party is concerned that the poor performance of the country’s economy has now become the greatest crisis the nation is presently facing.
Mr. Milupi says what is more disturbing is that the party in government does not seem to be taking the bad state of the economy very seriously.

In an interview with Qfm News, Mr. Milupi notes that in trying to resolve some of the challenges, the PF government has come up with measures which are making the people’s living conditions even worse.
He has cited the hike in the price of fuel as one such measure that has pushed further the cost of living in the country, besides the load shedding which is also affecting productivity in the country.
The ADD president states that the PF government has put the country’s economy in the ICU due to lack of fiscal discipline to adhere even to its own short term plans.
He says this is however the heavy price the people of Zambia have paid for having not considered certain issues when electing leaders in government.
Mr. Milupi says people of Zambia will continue to pay a heavy price as long as they ignore issues that matter when electing leaders in government.

The ruling PF has assured that opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema that President Edgar Lungu and his administration will not lose any sleep over any pressure from the opposition.
And PF Media and Publicity Committee Vice Chairperson Sunday Chanda says nothing of the opposition’s propaganda and alleged twisted ideologies aimed at swaying public opinion will succeed in breaking the enduring spirit of the Zambian people.
In a statement to Qfm News Mr. Chanda notes that Zambians know that the opposition’s alleged sugar-coated politics and pronouncements may win a few headlines but do not work.
Mr. Chanda states that his party will however continue to explain to the people that government’s investments will not bear fruit in just one day but that the direct and indirect benefits will accrue to the present and future generations of Zambians.
He says the ruling PF is certain that posterity will judge generously the on-going investments.
The PF Media and Publicity Committee vice chairperson says the opposition can therefore be assured that President Lungu and the PF are not afraid of public scrutiny of the respective programs and decisions being made.
He explains that this is because ruling PF understands that such scrutiny and criticism by the Opposition and other stakeholders, when done objectively and in good faith are essential in creating the desired understanding among citizens.
Mr. Chanda says his party believes engagement between itself and the opposition should be anchored not simply in giving the public what it wants to hear but rather what the public needs to hear.

UNDER-23 striker Patson Daka has appealed to soccer fans to be patient with the dry goal spell saying he will rekindle his prowess soon.
Daka, who has steadily graduated from the Under-17 team to both Under-23 and Chipolopolo explained that his scoring knack would return and asked for patience from soccer enthusiasts.

He said he was trying his best to get back to his scoring ways that made him a top scorer during the Africa Youth Championship qualifiers.

He assured Zambians of goals after his short stint at French Ligue 1 side, Lille Football Club.

“It’s time, everything has its own time; we can’t force matters but I will start scoring. We all try our best but unfortunately we don’t manage. I will soon start scoring and will do it as soon as possible; people should be calm and patient. We hope they will keep supporting us and give us the morale for us to start scoring again. I will for one do the very best to make them proud,” Daka said.

And Daka said the Junior Chipolopolo had no choice but to beat Ivory Coast in the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games qualifiers return fixture.

Daka explained that his team had been presented with a chance to redeem itself following a string of unimpressive outings by almost all the national teams.

“We don’t have anything else to do apart from winning the return match, this is our chance to take a step ahead. We have been doing badly for a while but this is the time to do things according to the fans’ expectations and the nation at large. We have tried to work on our errors and we will win the next game; we have all what it takes to qualify to the Olympics,” said Daka.

U.S President Barack Obama and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta have differed sharply in their positions on gay rights.

While Mr Obama spoke strongly against discrimination, Mr Kenyatta said gay rights is a non issue and that Kenya did not share the same values.

Obama made the remarks at a joint news conference he held at State House with President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday.

Uhuru said “ “There are some things that we must agree we don’t share,” he said. “Our culture, our societies don’t accept [homosexuality].”

Obama discussed the subject on his first full day in Kenya while drawing on his own background as an African-American in the U.S.

“If somebody is a law-abiding citizen who is going about their business and working in a job and obeying the traffic signs and doing all the other things that good citizens are supposed to do and not harming anybody, the idea that they are going to be treated differently or abused because of who they love is wrong,” Obama said.

However President Kenyatta said it was difficult to impose beliefs on the Kenyan people that they “do not accept.”

“This issue is not really an issue that is on the foremost mind of Kenyans and that is a fact,” he said.

While the U.S. has made strides on gay rights issues, most recently with the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage, many countries in Africa, including Kenya, hold more conservative views.

Same sex relations are still illegal in Kenya and Ethiopia, where the president will travel on Sunday.

Ahead of the trip, several Kenyan political and religious leaders had warned President Obama not to discuss gay rights while in the country.

Earlier after opening the GES 2015 Summit at Gigiri, Obama  visited a memorial for those killed in the 1998 US embassy bombing.

The trip, which began on Friday, is Mr Obama’s first visit as president to the country where his father was born

On Sunday, Obama will in the morning open the Leadership Centre at Kenyatta University and thereafter hold talks with the members of the opposition and the civil society.

He is expected to meet CORD leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula as well as Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua.

Obama will later address the public at Safaricom Stadium before concluding his three day visit to Kenya.

The US President is expected to leave the country Sunday evening for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

PRESIDENT Lungu has re-assured the Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda people of Government’s commitment to delivering on the promises the Patriotic Front made.
He also said Government has remained relentless in its efforts to uplift the living standards of the people of Luapula and Zambia as a whole.
The President said this at the 2015 Mutomboko ceremony, which was held yesterday in Mwansabombwe.
Mr Lungu said the creation of new districts, which include Mwansabombwe, and the rapid development that has followed are testimony of the holistic development plan that is well-thought out.
He said the development strategy is aimed at maximising Government’s ability to reach all parts of the country with the required resources and services to improve the livelihood of all Zambians.
President Lungu also said traditional ceremonies such as the Mutomboko provide a platform for people to learn more about their traditional cultures and heritage.
“The diversity in our heritage, culture and the harmony in which we co-exist as a nation of 73 tribes has been and will always be a shining example of the characteristics that will make Zambia a beacon of peace. It is with this spirit that we continue to celebrate our diversity in unity under our national creed and motto of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’,” he said.
And President Lungu said Government has provided a platform for traditional leaders to take a leading role in achieving economic and social development in the country.
He urged traditional leaders to take advantage of such available platforms to improve the lives of their people.
Mr Lungu also said Government has repossessed part of the idle land that has been under lease to Kawambwa Tea Estate.
President Lungu said the move is aimed at resolving the current operational challenges the company is grappling with.
“My government is cognisant of the plight of the former employees of Kawambwa Tea Estate, who lost their jobs due to operational problems at the company. To date, the former workers have not been paid their terminal benefits, thereby making it difficult for their families to make ends meet,” he said.
He has also warned that contracts of erring contractors will be terminated and that Government will seek compensation.
Mr Lungu has also warned non-performing contractors that Government is in the process of assessing the quality and pace of their work.
He said Government will not only cancel contracts of those found wanting but will also seek legal redress and compensation from erring contractors on behalf of Zambians.
Earlier, President Lungu said despite his busy schedule, he found it necessary to attend the Mutomboko ceremony because of the significance it holds.
He said this when he paid a courtesy call on Mwata Kazembe at his palace.
And in a speech read for him by spokesperson Chriticles Mwansa, Mwata Kazembe urged Government to implement stiffer laws to protect the girl-child from early marriages.
The Mwata also commended Government for allowing procedure of succession to freely take its course within the chiefdom.

A sad report say Africa’s biggest reality TV show, Big Brother Africa (BBA) may not take place this year as expected.
This is due to lack of sponsorship. The organizers of the show, Africa Magic and Endemol were unable to get sponsorship for this year’s edition of the show.
The Manager of Multichoice Ghana, Anne Sackey confirmed to peganews that they at Multichoice Ghana have received notice from MNET that this year’s edition of Big Brother Africa will not hold.
She explained that MNET did not give them any reasons as to why they will not be doing the Big Brother this year, but then, she personally thinks it’s due to sponsorship constraints.

President Edgar Chagwa Lungu (c) accompanied by Zambia Army Commander Lt. General Paul Mihova (l) cruises on Lake Mweru Wantipa during the official Launch of the 48 Marine Unit in Nchelenge on Sunday, 26,2015.

PRESIDENT Lungu has launched the first-ever special forces marine unit in the Zambian defence force aimed at protecting the people from internal and external aggression and also curbing illegal border crossing.
And President Lungu has warned residents of Isokwe Island on Lake Mweru against marrying off their children early.
The President also said the deployment of the marine unit in Luapula Province will mark the beginning of securing Zambia’s water bodies countrywide.
He is confident that with the presence of the special forces, there will also be effective enforcement of the fish ban.
“With the establishment of this unit comes a lot of challenges which my Government will address to improve the well-being of our men and women in uniform,” he said.
President Lungu said he is aware that the troops are facing accommodation challenges which Government is already addressing through construction of houses and offices for the newly-established marine barracks in Kawambwa and Nchelenge.
And President Lungu said it is his wish that Government continues with countrywide recruitment for both officers and soldiers to replace human resource that have been lost.

Kenneth Kaunda

ADD President Charles Milupi says in view of the fact Dr. Kaunda is the only alive of the three signatories to the Barotseland Agreement, is the right person that can give an interpretation on the issue.
Mr. Milupi says much as it is difficult in the African set up for a young person to give counsel to elder people like Dr. Kaunda, he is of the view that when one has had the privilege to serve in the highest office of the land such a privilege is bestowed by the nation.
He has told Qfm News in an interview that this means that the greatest service of such an individual ought to be always to the nation and not the government of the day.
The ADD president says such an individual, as is the case for Dr. Kaunda and Mr. Rupiah Banda, is supposed to be reflecting on the views of the nation.
He states that especially that whatever benefits a former Head of State has worked for these are his or her rights and no government can take away such benefits.
Mr. Milupi advised that former Heads of State should therefore not make themselves servants to the governments of the day just because of fear that they will not get their benefits.

This is a statement by UPND Veep GBM:

Dear Friends,
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.
My weekend was mixed with a bereavement and a walk into the past.

Earlier on Saturday we had a funeral and a burial of my In Law Mr. Adolphus Mubanga Snr who passed on during last week MHSRIEP.

Later in the evening I took sometime to mingle with my friends at the Municipal Sports Club and the Lusaka Flying Club in Longacres area.

It was a walk in the past and a “chill” as the new generation calls it. I also had an opportunity to meet up with my elder brothers His Honour the former Republican Vice President Mr. Enock Kavindele, Mr Gilbert Temba and Mr. Geoffrey Mulenga and others at the Lusaka Flying Club.

But it hasn’t been a weekend without drama, particularly in the media. GBM has been headline in all Government controlled print media and those that are pro PF. Let me say, non of these papers have contacted me to clarify the stories they are carrying and have a misleading picture to the public on whatever may have transpired last week Friday. I understand their sales have increased for a person considered a non factor by their bosses and themselves.

The incident that happened at Parliament has been reported in a manner that would please the Government. Professional reporting has just gone into the gutter and to think that it is taxpayers money that sustains these papers leaves me appalled to say the least.

To whom did they speak to, to get and publish untruths. It seems they do not learn and would wish to face libel charges.

I wish to urge these editors that as public media theirs is to inform the truth that they have physically obtained themselves and not my masters voice. You will be in trouble and you put your jobs at stake, when your master go into political oblivion soon.

As for Hon Malama, I do understand his frustration and anger that his tenure on the front bench and luxurious job of Deputy Minister is about to end hence his disrespect and uncouth behaviour to confront me and try to belittle me over my decision. I don’t know whether he wanted his boss to elevate him to full cabinet. There is life after politics young man and in Nabwalya too.

As for those peddling lies that I used Tribal remarks, get your facts right. I do not see any difference between the Bemba’s, Bisa’s and Tabwa’s. My father was Chief Mpepo in Bisa Land.

we know it is ploy by PF to label me a tribalist now because their continued accusation that UPND was a regional party does not hold any water now because of its national character at all levels.

I will be sharing more with you as the day and week progress.

Have a good day

Months after loosing her rich boyfriend to the daughter of a former senator, actress Tonto Dikeh has opened up about her love life. She’s been keeping things secret until now. She has finally found love and to avoid any further delay that could make another lady snatch her man, she is tying the knot soon

Popular comedian Anne Kansiime posted her bikini photos on her social media page and captioned it ‘Iamareason’

THE ruling Patriotic Front (PF) in Roan constituency has suspended its Baluba Ward 23 councillor Gershom Mpundu from the party for allegedly working with the United Party for National Development.
PF Roan constituency chairperson Nebat Matatiyo confirmed the development in an interview, alleging that Mr Mpundu was “eating with both hands” and that there is no way the party could work with such a councillor.
Mr Matatiyo said Mr Mpundu has been barred from attending full council meetings.
“There is no way we could work with someone who is eating with both hands, yes I can confirm that he has been suspended, and he has not responded to the letters of the suspension that we wrote him,” Mr Matatiyo said.
He said the party will further make recommendations to the higher ranks of the party.
And Mr Mpundu confirmed his suspension from the party which he described as unfair.
“Yes I can confirm that I was given the suspension, I have been accused of working with the UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema and organising for UPND in my ward,” Mr Mpundu said.
Mr Mpundu said it was not true that he was working with UPND, adding that some people are just jealousy of him because he is on the ground organising people for the PF.
“It is only that I am loved by many people in my ward, hence they are now linking me to the UPND,” he said.
Mr Mpundu also wondered why PF cadres should stop him from attending council meetings.
“I have been barred from attending the full council meeting by PF cadres but this is not fair, civic matters should be differentiated from party issues,” he complained.
And when the matter was raised during a full council meeting, Luanshya mayor Gordon Siwale said Mr Mpundu should have written to either his office or the office of the town clerk over the action by cadres to bar him from attending civic duties.