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By NATION REPORTER 

THE UPND is inciting its cadres and the Zambia police to attack and embarrass former President Edgar Lungu so that he could be cowed into stopping his public appearances which are causing severe discomfort to the governing party leadership, Governance activist Andrew Ntewewe has said.

And Council of Churches in Zambia General Secretary Father Emmanuel Chikoya has said that the time for hooliganism was gone and that the UPND needed to ensure that it delivered on its campaign promises.

Meanwhile, Operation Young Vote (YOV) has condemned UPND cadres for attacking former president Edgar Lungu as they question what motivated the conduct by the cadres.

Fr Chikoya said the attack on former President Lungu should be condemned in the strongest terms because the former head of State deserved respect and was a free citizen who was not under house arrest for his movements to be restricted.

“Every well-meaning Zambian needs to denounce the activities of the cadres and the UPND should just focus on ensuring that they fulfil the promises they made to the people of Zambia,” Fr Chikoya said.

And Mr Ntewewe said the recent attack on former Lungu by UPND cadres may have the blessings of President Hakainde Hichilema because according to him, the head of State has failed to condemn and discipline his truant members who have been causing rumpus across the country.

Mr Ntewewe said that despite the head of State having chosen to lead a quiet life, save for his not too often public appearances, it had become evident that the continued harassment of the former President Lungu had the blessings of the highest authority in the land. He said there had been a sustained propaganda against former President Lungu to the extent that the UPND had started peddling perception that the former head of State was preparing for his second coming into politics.

And YOV executive director, Guess Nyirenda has said it is perturbing to note how the UPND cadres were behaving at national events that were supposed to unite Zambians such as Traditional Ceremonies.

Mr Nyirenda said the conduct of the Youth from the UPND to attempt to physically prevent President Lungu from attending the traditional ceremony in Malambo Constituency at the invitation Chief Nsefu of the Kunda people was despicable. 

“We are very appalled as OYV, especially that those reported to have conducted themselves in an unruly manner were the Youths,” Mr Nyirenda said.

He said their action was cheap, trivial, backwards, ancient and unacceptable behavior and politics and does not only warrant serious condemnation but also punishable by both the law and the gods if it were possible. 

Mr Nyirenda said the question that begged an answer was what had motivated the conduct, why block a former President from attending a traditional Ceremony in his province of origin, very shameful.

He said the police should identify the cadres that attacked Mr. Lungu, arrest them and begin the process of prosecuting them so that they account for their misconduct.

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By SHARON ZULU

MFS Africa, Africa’s largest digital payments gateway, has joined the African Hidden Champions (AHC).

Connecting customers to service providers, MFS Africa has over 500 million mobile wallets and more than 200 million bank accounts across 800 live payment corridors.

MFS Africa “network of networks” connects over 40 countries in Africa and more than 60 countries globally.

By overcoming the high cost of clearing payments, low mobile network interoperability and complex regulatory climates, MFS Africa is firmly positioned at the forefront of Africa’s tech revolution.

“As a company, our unique understanding of the continent and our commitment to making borders matter less is a huge factor in the payment solutions we provide to our partners. Money in Africa right now is offline, and we are digitalising that through agents in mobile money markets and POS agents such as the Baxi agents in Nigeria. We are also taking this further by enabling interoperability between agent and card networks.” Mr Okoudjou says..

He added, “Because of our position as an enabler and a network of networks, our goal is to connect our partners and fintech companies across the continent to that digital cash coming in through one API so they can easily service the 1.2 billion people on the continent. We are in this for the long haul. Our next focus as a company is to strengthen our foundation and expand into all African countries as we build the payments infrastructure for the next 100 years.

African Hidden Champions is a co-partnership of Africa Foresight Group, and the African Development Bank.

ONE of the most expensive bidders in the procurement of Urea fertilizer which is being single-sources has been accused of supplying not only low-grade fertilizer but is also underweight for the commodity, sources within the sector have disclosed.

An open tender for the supply and delivery of Urea fertilizer for the 2023/2024 was cancelled two weeks ago and was to be reinstated with single sourcing tender that saw the number of bidders exclusively restricted to 13, with the most expensive bidder being the most preferred.

And now, it has emerged that one of the highest bidders has been supplying low-grade fertilizer apart from underweight the commodity to the unsuspecting farmers.

The sources have also disclosed that most of the bidders that have been single-sourced do not have the fertilizer in stock and that they would have to begin sourcing the commodity once they have been awarded the tender.

There are concerns that some of the players have never been genuine and have been swindling farmers by delivering under-packaged fertilizer by as much as 10kg less for a 50KG bag.  

“The contracts for the supply of Urea fertilizer which has been done visa single-sourcing will be awarded tomorrow (today). As you may know, only 13 companies were selected in this single-sourcing from the more than 44 who had bided in the open tender.  But the concern is that from among the most expensive bidders, one of them has been known to supplying underweight fertilizer. The same company has been known to supplying low-grade fertilizer.

“As you may know, when importing fertilizer, it come in bulk and the repackaging is done here. So what this company does is to that it under-packs the fertilizer. The normal packaging is that the bag should weigh 50Kg but in most cases, this player would deliver fertilizer weighing between 40Kg and 45Kg. The people who are swindled are our unsuspecting cadres,” the sources said.

The sources said it was the excess fertilizer that would later be repackaged from which the company would generate money for kickbacks which you hear is being offered to those highly politically connected.

The sources said the same company has allegedly been bribing government inspectors such that even if the fertilizer was taken to government laboratories, the results would never be a true reflection of the quantities and quality of what was being expected.

“The bidders who do not have stock but would be awarded the contract tomorrow (today), should avoid engaging the known preferred but most expensive bidder because chances are that they will be given low quality and underweight fertilizer. In some cases, the known company would add plastic granules as top up for every underweight bag of fertiliser,” the sources said.

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ALBAWABA – Zambia arrested last week six Egyptians and one Zambian inside an Egyptian private plane that carried $5.6 million, hundreds of golden coins and multiple weapons.

Drug control authorities in Zambia revealed that a plane from Egypt was held for containing a large amount of money, 605 golden coins in addition to five guns with 126 bullets. Zambian authorities said later on that the pieces were not pure gold and were in fact mixed with zinc, copper, and nickel.

Sources told the New Arab that a delegation of Egyptian officials has been holding a series of discussions since Thursday with Zambian governmental officials regarding the plane and detainees. 

Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) announced last week that: “A private jet which landed at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) in Lusaka on Monday evening, carrying more than US$5 million in cash, 602 gold bars, 5 pistols with 126 cartridges, was seized by authorities on Tuesday.” 

 Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission revealed that 10 individuals were detained after the plane was seized at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, including one Zambian, one Spanish national, one Dutch national, one Latvian national, and six Egyptian nationals for possession of dangerous goods.

According to the New Arab, the plane which was caught in Zambia and has the number T7-WSS, belongs to an Egyptian businessman who has strong ties with governmental officials in the country.

Egyptian security forces detained a local journalist after his report on officials aboard seized plane in Zambia was published on Matsada2sh.

The news agency said that its website had also been “subjected to a coordinated attack” by Egyptian authorities 

Furthermore, the source claimed, as well, that the Egyptian businessman has parliamentary immunity due to his connections with governmental officials.

On the other hand, another Egyptian official denied allegations which were made on social media regarding the person to which this private plane belongs or where was it going as some people allegedly said that this plane was on a government mission to stop the division of the Nile waters.

An Egyptian journalist Karim Asaad was arrested early Saturday by authorities after “extensive coverage” of the plane seized in Zambia by the platform, Matsda2sh, or Don’t Believe.

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Have you ever wondered why babies get vaccines starting from the day they’re born? One big reason: The youngest are most at risk of diseases. It’s also the time in your child’s development that their immune system learns the most from vaccines.

A new analysis in the BMJ argues that UK government opposition to drug consumption rooms is rooted in societal stigma

By NATION REPORTER 

STATE House is not being used by UPND cadres to fraudulently issue mining licenses through the Mines Cadaster and wantonly abuse the mineral register, Paul Kabuswe, the Minister of Mines has said.

Mr Kabuswe has assured that the Mines Cadaster was intact and that speculations that some UPND cadres through State House and some officials from the Ministry of Mines were corruptly issuing mining licenses were not true.

Mr Kabuswe said while there could be a possibility that some senior government officials in the Ministry Mines could be misbehaving and engaging in corruption, it was incorrect to suggest that such officials in connivance with some UPND cadres could be using State House.

He has categorically stated that there was no way State House could be used by any citizen to commit illegalities, stating that President Hakainde Hichilema had clearly pronounced himself that those who transgress the law, irrespective of their political or social status would be on their own.

Mr Kabuswe said the Mines Cadaster was intact and uninvaded and that as Minister in charge of the Mines, he would ensure the matter was thoroughly investigated and that if any of the officials would be found wanting, they would have to atone to their iniquities by facing the wrath of the law.  

He as the Minister in charge of Mines and Minerals Development, he had the powers to overturn any decision that could have resulted into fraudulent issuance of mining licences.

“Let me say this…I can categorically tell you that State House can never be used to commit illegalities. President Hichilema has clearly pronounced himself that those who transgress the law, irrespective of their political affiliation or social status are on their own. I can tell you that the Mines Cadaster is intact, undefiled and unviolated.”

“Of course in country, not all are going to be angels and my message to those who are misbehaving and are corruptly issuing mining licenses is that action will be taken.  And if there are any particular mining licenses holders who are being mistreated or unfairly treated, let them know that the appellant office is the office of the Minister. I have the powers to overturn any corruptly obtained license. So let us no involve State House in this,” Mr Kabuswe said.  

The Minister explained that if there were people who were being mistreated over their genuinely obtained mining licenses or applications and were aggrieved, the procedure was for the affected to seek the intervention of the office of the Minister.

He said if mining licenses applicants were feeling that they were not getting fair treatment from the Cadaster or the Licensing Committee, his Ministry was open to all inquiries and complaints.

“I will look at the merits and demerits of the complainants and I will go down to finds out who could be misbehaving because that is the only way you can catch a thief. This is a transparent government and illegalities shall not be tolerated or condoned,” Mr Kabuswe said.   

Social media was awash yesterday with claims that some UPND cadres have literally taken over the running of the Mines Cadaster at the Ministry of Mines and are allegedly cashing in by conniving with foreigners in the issuance of mining licenses.  

It was reported that two named UPND cadres were claiming to have connections with State House and were in other instances impersonating officers of the Zambia intelligence Security Services (ZISS) Special Division and were conniving with foreigners in the issuance of mining licenses.

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The United States on Monday became the first country to approve a vaccine for pregnant women that prevents severe disease caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in their babies.

By NATION REPORTER

MAKEBI Zulu, one of Zambia’s renowned legal minds has observed that the attack on former President Lungu by the UPND fanatics is the manifestation of the complete breakdown of the rule of law under the Hakainde Hichilema administration.

Meanwhile, Brebner Changala, the civil and political activist says the hooliganism and barbarism being perpetrated by the UPND without any kind of censure from the governing party leadership should be a cause of concern from all peace-loving Zambians. 

Mr. Zulu said it was clear that political cadreism was still well and alive under President Hichilema, whose message for the end hooliganism was but a lone voice in the wilderness with no ear to hear the call.

Mr Zulu said being a local resident and former Member of Parliament for Malambo, he was certain the people who harassed former President Lungu had been organised by UPND and led by a well-known government leader.

He said President Hichilema was merely offering lip service when he talked about upholding the rule of law because it was clear that observance and respect of the law was not part of the governance style of the new dawn government. 

Mr Zulu was one of the leaders who had accompanied former President Lungu to Mambwe for the Malaila Traditional Ceremony to which he was invited. 

“President Hichilema is doing the opposite of what he always preaches or talks about. I am so disappointed that the person who led the horde of cadres was a person appointed to leadership by Mr Hichilema,” Mr Zulu said. 

Meanwhile, civil rights activist Brebnar Changala has said the rule of law had completely broken down under the UPND administration.

Mr Changala said what transpired in Mambwe District during the Malaila traditional ceremony was a total breakdown of the rule of law.

He said it was clear there was a resurgence of cadreism and barbarism in the country which the UPND leadership was either sponsoring or enjoying.

“Former President Edgar Lungu has every rights that are accrued to every citizen such as right of movement, speech, association and any other rights for Zambians. It is only when cowards who thought that because Mr Lungu lost the 2021 General Elections, he had lost everything that was accrued to him, first of all as a bonafide Zambian,”  Mr Changala said 

He said the actions by the UPND cadres in Mambwe District were an indictment on the state police because they exist to protect law and order.

“Police should never harass citizens as doing so exposes the police as a compromised unit of state security,” Mr Changala said. 

He said former President Lungu did not do anything unusual, uncommon or out of the extra ordinary but had merely exercised his constitutional right like any other Zambian of attending a traditional ceremony to which he was invited.

“It is clear that UPND is uncomfortable of anything and everything to do with Mr Lungu whether he speaks or not. This is a case of a failing administration fearing the unknown,” he charged. 

Mr. Changala said what happened in Mambwe where the former Head of State was attacked by cadres from the governing party was an indictment of President Hichilema.

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For the first time, researchers have discovered that the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain—a key structure involved in motivation and reward appreciation—has altered connectivity patterns with specific brain regions in patients with obesity. Individuals with obesity have hyper-connectivity of the VTA with part of the ventral occipitotemporal cortex (visual processing for food images) and hypo-connectivity with the left inferior frontal gyrus (associated with cognitive control), according to a new study in Obesity.