Posts in category: Uncategorized

By MICHAEL MIYOBA

RELEGATION threatened Nkwazi FC will fight for vengeance when they host Muza FC in a Week-32 fixture at Edwin Imboela Stadium to have a chance of flying out of the relegation zone on the FAZ Super League table.

Nkwazi are 15th on the log with 35 points collected from eight wins, 11 draws and 12 defeats.

With the last meeting against Muza having ended in a 2-0 defeat in Mazabuka, the Zambia Police-sponsored outfit are desperate to redeem themselves from a disappointing season.

Emmanuel Manda and an own goal from Henry Besa guaranteed a win for Muza the last time the two sides faced off.

For Muza, winning today’s game is crucial as they fight to clinch a top-two finish in the league and qualify for the CAF Confederations Cup.

As they renew their rivalry today, Nkwazi will have to come up with a perfect plan to stop Muza’s lethal topmen in Andrew Phiri and Manda who have proven to be problematic for their rivals. Muza are outside the top four bracket on the Super League table but a win in Lusaka today may propel them back into the top four.

Meanwhile, in the lunch time kick off at Edwin Imboela Stadium, Green Buffaloes will seek to redeem themselves from last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Kansanshi Dynamos when they take on rejuvenated Kabwe Warriors.

Buffaloes, who are third on the log with 48 points will seek to reclaim second spot by overcoming a team which held them to a 2-2 stalemate in the first-round fixture played last year in Kabwe.

However, beating Kabwe Warriors will not be easy for Buffaloes who have managed five defeats, 15 draws and 11 victories.

Warriors have proven to be a tough side since the arrival of coach Mumamba Numba who managed to take the team out of the relegation zone to 12th with 41 points. In the last four games, Warriors are unbeaten with three victories and one stalemate against Sensational Zanaco FC last weekend.

Collecting maximum points may be crucial for the Kabwe-based side whose target remains to finish in the top 10 on the Super League table.

Having beaten Muza, Kansanshi and Buildcon before the draw against Zanaco, Numba will look to Kenyan international Samuel Onyango for the goals in Lusaka. The Kenyan international has been in fine form and scored a goal in the 2-0 thumping of Muza before contributing hattrick against Buildcon in their last victory.

A win for Buffaloes will increase their chances of playing continental championships while a win for Warriors will propel them into the top 10 on the log.

 TWO men of Kitwe have been arrested after they were found with 3.2 kilograms of cocaine at  at Lusaka’s Downtown Shopping Mall. Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) public relations officer Hussein Khan said the two have been formally charged with Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs. “The Drug Enforcement Commission has arrested two Zambian nationals for drug trafficking. […]

 PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says Zambia should tap into the dynamics that South Korea has used to help transform into a high-income country. Mr Hichilema said South Korea remains one of the typical models to share success stories of economic transformation. Mr Hichilema was speaking at the sidelines of the Coronation of King Charles III in […]

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU

The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) board has been challenged to supplement Government efforts in revamping the economy as opposed to chocking the businesses and industry in the country.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Chipoka Mulenga said the new dawn administration was working hard to revamp the economy, hence the ZCSA board must support the industry and businesses to thrive.

He said this when the ZCSA board members paid a courtesy call on him on Wednesday in Lusaka.

 “You must support the businesses to thrive and not to choke them. As you interact with companies and business owners, ensure entities repent from ills and get to a point where they support economic growth.

“As you regulate the industry, do not stop erring entities from performing but tell them to do the right things. In an event you find a company that is producing many products and one product is found wanting, don’t shut them down. Isolate the defective product and let the business continue,” Mr Mulenga said.

He said the board members should not use their positions to punish and scold the business sector but should ensure that operators feel and appreciate their positive influence.

Mr Mulenga said the board should act differently and also do something unique that will raise their profiles by the end of this year.

He also challenged the board members to get best practices from other similar regulating agencies for compulsory standards beyond Zambia.

At the same event, ZCSA Board chairperson, Ian Mupeta assured the minister that the board is hitting the ground running in a quest to deliver its mandate.

“We are hitting the ground running. From here, we will get a briefing from ZCSA management. We take our assignment seriously. Our appointment to the board shows the confidence you have in us,” Mr Mupeta said.

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU

The Economic Association of Zambia (EAZ) has called for removal of any red tape or bureaucracy in accessing the US$20 million Loan Guarantee Scheme for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) once it is made available.

EAZ has also requested cooperating partners to quickly make available the US$20m Loan Guarantee Scheme for SMEs through the financial sector to support SMEs enterprise initiatives as announced in the 2023 national budget.

EAZ president Isaac Ngoma hopes that the funds would be made easily accessible without any red tape.

“The country needs some venture capitalists to provide to start-up companies and small businesses that have potential to grow and produce more for local and foreign markets.

“We know that this economy needs new and significant inflow of funds in the form of private equity and private debt financing for long-term growth prospects of the private sector which will increase domestic revenue potential,” Mr Ngoma said at the at the 2023 first quarter budget performance in Lusaka on Tuesday.

He pointed out that the EAZ had been and would continue to support Government’s effort by engaging with potential investors and venture capitalists to consider Zambia as an investment destination of choice.

Generally, Mr Ngoma said, EAZ supported Government efforts to attract more foreign direct investment to grow the economy.

He also stressed the need to explore and mobilise for export-import financing funding to businesses engaged in international trade.

“This should be through structured arrangements where private sector access concessional, low cost financing for the purchase of equipment, working capital, and other expenses related to mostly exporting or importing goods and services that are intended as input to local raw materials.

“EAZ believes this option is necessary for businesses that are looking to expand their operations into new export markets and earn us the much-needed forex while enhancing local production capacity,” Mr Ngoma said.

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU

GOVERNMENT has unveiled four documents which will be used to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the preparation, appraisal, selection and implementation of public investment projects.

These are: the public investment management guidelines, the general appraisal manual for public investment projects, the public investment risk management guidelines; and the 2023 public investment plan.

Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane said Government was aware of the challenges that had affected public investment management.

For instance, Dr Musokotwane cited, implementation of some public investment projects had resulted in cost overrun, others had stalled, or abandoned due to inadequate project planning and appraisal.

“As a result, Government has lost huge economic opportunities due to funds tied to delayed or incomplete projects, completed but not operational projects, significant cost overruns and corruption vulnerabilities as well as accumulation of arrears to contractors,” he said at the launch of the documents in Lusaka.

He said it was for this reason that Government was launching the four documents which would enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the preparation, appraisal, selection and implementation of public investment projects.

Dr Musokotwane said these public investment management documents would be critical guiding tools to support fiscal sustainability and enhanced budget credibility.

He urged all controlling officers to ensure the law was adhered to through the use of guidance provided in the documents.

“The launch of these documents is a clear demonstration of the new dawn government’s continued commitment to prudency in management of public resources and promotion of accountability and transparency.

“Effective strategies and guidance on project preparation, appraisal, implementation and integration of risk management in delivery of sustainable public investment projects, will be pivotal in achieving the aspirations in the vision and our economic development agenda,” he said.

Government must strike a balance between fighting the smuggling of maize and genuine traders buying the crop from farmers for resale to milling companies and others.

The plight of some grain traders whose trucks carrying maize were impounded by the Zambia National Service in Kafue calls for swift intervention from the authorities.

The ZNS is reportedly forcing the traders to sell the commodity to preferred milling companies in Lusaka.

Government needs to establish whether it is illegal for anyone to buy and transport maize from one part of the country to another.

About eight trucks laden with maize have so far been impounded and the grain traders say they are being forced to specifically sell their maize to APG Milling which is offering a price much lower than the standard rate.

The grain traders who had bought their maize from Mazabuka and Monze had their trucks impounded in Kafue by ZNS who are said to have ordered that the maize be sold to APG Milling when there were several other milling companies in Lusaka buying the commodity at a much higher rate.

According to one of the affected drivers, Mr Salim Teddy Sanga, a ZNS officer he named as Lieutenant-Colonel Nkweto was allegedly forcing them that all the eight trucks should offload the maize at APG Milling Company in Lusaka which was offering low prices of K4 per tonne.

One question that comes to mind is what is so special about the recommended milling company when the traders obviously had a market in mind for the maize – as free enterprise dictates.

Mr Sanga explained that the ZNS had refused the drivers to sell their maize to other milling companies which were offering K4.8 per tonne.

“We agreed with ZNS and they took my truck from Kafue up to APG Milling. When I reached here, the price of APG Milling was low as they want to buy the maize at K4 per tonne while other milling companies are buying it at K4.8 per tonne,” Mr Sanga complained.

We realise that dealing in maize and mealie meal attracts a lot of attention what with the reported shortage of mealie meal in some parts of the country as well as the escalating price of the staple food.

The situation has been compounded by the confusion surrounding the import and export of maize and mealie meal with contradictory statement among government officials.

The position is particularly dicey for the Copperbelt Province where smuggling of mealie meal into the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

The rampant smuggling has been blamed for the shortage of mealie meal in the region as some individuals avoid open trading in preference to illegal exports.

This is the more reason why the government and its law and security enforcement agents should be mindful how they handle grain traders for not everyone should be labelled as a smuggler.

“I am going to sell my maize for a good price. I am ready to sell my maize. Now they want to take us back to Kafue. There are eight trucks here, all impounded from Kafue,” Mr Sanga said.

Just what is going on, Mr Sanga and his colleagues deserve a fair hearing.

By LUCY PHIRI 

Former Lusaka High Court Judge Joshua Banda has pleaded not guilty to two counts of corrupt transactions contrary to the laws of Zambia.

By SHARON ZULU

The UPND has stated that, the police acted according with the law to investigate the former first lady Esther Lungu.

Party Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said, Mrs Lungu acts are criminal in nature for employing people to grab property of Zambians citizens.

Women who have suffered domestic abuse may have a higher risk of developing atopic diseases including asthma, new research has found.