Posts in category: Uncategorized

By NATION REPORTER

VEDANTA is back with a second rip-off and are at the verge of re-taking over Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) with the plan of dumping the financial liabilities on Government, Emmanuel Mwamba has said.

Mr Mwamba, Zambia’s former Ambassador to Ethiopia has said Vedanta was not willing to take up debt owed to Zesco, CEC, contractors, tax obligations, statutory payments of over US$1billion must be taken over by Government. 

He said the debt was actually accumulated by Vedanta and this was a sticky issue in the current negotiations.

Mr Mwamba said 20 years ago, they bought a mine valued at US$650 million for US$25 million. Within three  months, the mine announced impressive results and that it had made US$100million profit.

“During the 20-year rule, the mine house didn’t pay taxes, declared losses, poisoned our rivers and environment and degraded the mine. Instead of wholly investing in Konkola Deep, the biggest copper reserve, VEDANTA chose to invest in a Tailings Leach Plant (TLP) to quickly process tailings from the Nchanga concentrators and stockpiled tailings and dumps, to produce Copper directly to cathodes,” Mr Mwamba said.

He said instead of investing in mining, Vedanta chose to be buying concentrates from across Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Mr Mwamba said investment pledge of US$350million to partly dismantle debts to utilities and contractors is not available until after six months of taking over the mine.

He said the Liquidator manager must leave immediately to allow a 35-man management from India.

Two independent Ludwig Cancer Research studies published in the current issue of the journal Cell show that immune cells known as neutrophils, whose abundance in the microenvironment of tumors has traditionally been associated with poor patient prognosis, can play an important role in the success of cancer immunotherapies.

 POLICE police have warned members of the public against circulating fake child abduction reports on social media following a recent false alarm. On Thursday, police received a report in which it was alleged that one of the pupils at Hillview Park Primary School in Chalala was abducted around midday while on her way to school […]

 By NATION REPORTER 

TANZANIAN maize traders are still in limbo over the government’s issuance of export permits to move their maize which they acquired in November last year.

The traders recently stormed their High Commissioners offices in a bid for him to engage the Zambian government to release their export permits.

The High Commissioner assured them that he would engage the Zambian government so that an amicable solution could be found.

The traders complained that there were some maize which was being moved by the Zambia National Service (ZNS) to Nakonde.

The irate traders wondered what the motive was because about 10, 000 metric tonnes of maize was at Nakonde border.

“There is something suspicious in the manner ZNS is moving maize when ours have been clamped,” they said.

The traders indicated that they were hoping the High Commissioner would help them ensure that the maize is released because they had lost a lot from the time they purchased the maize.

They complained that they did not know their fate since the chairperson for the parliamentary committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources Chairperson Kasautu Michelo said that no maize would leave the country and that the traders would just be given refunds.

By ROGERS KALERO

THE UPND has accused Munir Zulu of attempting to derail and frustrate Zambia’s debt restructuring by exposing corruption allegations against Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, the Finance Minister and his Infrastructure counterpart Charles Milupi.

Bowas Kapata, the UPND Kitwe youth chairman says Mr Zulu, the Lumezi Member of Parliament has become a champion of anti-economic recovery against Zambia by accusing a key figure of corruption in Zambia’s debt restructuring negotiations.

Mr Kapata is claiming that attempts to frustrate Zambia’s debt restructuring were being spearheaded by the Patriotic Front (PF) so that the negotiations could be derailed and collapse the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. 

He said the PF has realised that the UPND under President Hakainde Hichilema was firmly on course towards achieving economic recovery and national development and had resorted to using Munir Zulu to frustrate the efforts of poverty alleviation and food security.

Mr Kapata was reacting to the sentiments by Lumezi Member of Parliament (MP) Munir Zulu that villagers in Lumezi village were more intelligent than villagers in Bweengwa after h had been arrested for allegedly defaming Dr Musokotwane and Mr Milupi.

Dr Musokotwanr is now demanding K50 million from Mr Zulu as compensation while Mr Milupi has not yet made his demands.

Mr Zulu has accused Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane and Mr Milupi of having received US$250,000 bribes each as gratification to the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway project.

But Mr Kapata has rubbished the allegations and warned the Lumezi MP to desist from issuing tribal remarks against the people of Southern Province.

He said he was aware that the allegations against the two ministers were aimed at derailing and frustrating the debt restructuring process by painting ‘Black’ the innocent Ministers of the New Dawn administration.

And Ndola District UPND Youth Chairman Lack Chisenga has said the youths on the Copperbelt are worried that Zulu could be propagating tribalism instead of promoting unity in the country.

By NATION REPORTER 

ZAMBIA Army Commander, Lieutenant General Sitali Alibuzwi has said defence industries in most African countries are at nascent stages hence the need for partnerships with advanced countries like India whose contribution to regional security is immense.

Speaking when he formed part of the 32 Defence Chiefs and Army Commanders that attended the Army Chiefs Conclave held in Pune, Southwest India on side-lines of the Africa India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX), Lt. Gen. Alibuzwi said the Zambian industry was open to investment and partnerships.

He has invited the Indian defence industries to take keen interest in Zambia’s aerospace, military engineering, land development, solar technologies, and mechanised agriculture innovations.

He said Zambia was ready for partnerships with India in areas such as production and supply of mobility equipment, ammunition, cyber security software, surveillance capabilities, and public-private partnership among others.

“I would like to thank the Indian Armed Forces for their continued support to Zambia and the Army Chief for bringing troops from Africa to participate in AFINDEX. We are looking forward to similar initiatives in future. We appreciate efforts by India to open avenues for closer collaboration in the development of mutually-beneficial South-South ties,” Lt-Gen. Alibuzwi said.

And delivering a keynote address, India’s Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj Pande implored his fellow Chiefs to take full advantage of the numerous opportunities India offers for defence cooperation and collaboration at both bilateral and multilateral levels.

General Pande said India was eager to continue enhancing capacities for African militaries through courses, joint exercises, exchange of information, fight against terrorism and extremism, maritime security, and disaster management.

A common anesthesia drug could be beneficial in reducing pressure inside the skull of children with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), according to a study published in Critical Care Medicine.

They sell worldwide, often retailing for more than $2.50 per two-ounce bag: Lactation cookies, which manufacturers purport to increase milk in people who breastfeed. Many claim they work—but what does the science say?

Half as many children in the United States were diagnosed with asthma in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years, and Rutgers researchers think fewer colds may be part of the reason.

By NATION REPORTER

A VILLAGE Headman in Gwembe District has complained that there is more suffering in the country under the UPND government than it was under the Patriotic Front (PF).

Headman Habumbeni of Syampande Ward of Gwembe District, Special Habumbeni says life under the PF was much easier as things including mealie meal and fuel were cheaper and that life was much better.

Headman Habumbeni says promises that things would be better, cheaper and easier had not been fulfilled and that life had become more difficult and challenging than they were before the change of government in 2021.

Speaking when he called during Chikuni Radio Breakfast show yesterday, Mr. Habumbeni explained that during the PF rule, transport fare from Syampande to Monze was K60 but that it had since increased to K200 for a single trip.

He said villagers were now being subjected to paying K400 to travel from Syampande to Monze and back and that life had become expensive under the new dawn administration.

He complained that people in Syampande Ward depended on Monze for goods and services but many were now failing to reach the district because of the high transport fares.

Mr. Habumbeni said people in the area voted for positive change and hoped that the cost of living would reduce but alas, as things were getting worse by the day and making the lives of villagers more miserable.

Headman Habumbeni has accused the UPND government of taking time to respond to problems citing hunger, which he said had persisted in Syampande ward without government isending enough relief food and timely.

And Mr. Habumbeni also explained that currently, there was no good road reaching Syampande area and people were now depending on water transport.

The headman has also called on government to tar Chisekesi-Chipepo road to easy the movement of the people in the district.