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ZAMBIA’S under-20 national soccer team is in a do die fixture today when they face off with Tunisia in a Group C fixture of the TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

After struggling with a 1-1 stalemate against Benin in the first fixture and a 2-0 defeat by Gambia, Zambia are desperate for a win to progress to the knock out stage of the youth AFCON.

The make or break fixture scheduled for the Cairo International Stadium presents the junior Chipolopolo the opportunity to recover from the disappointing defeat to The Gambia.

Tunisia and Zambia are on par with one point each while Benin has two points with the already qualified The Gambia dominating the group with six points from wins over Zambia and Tunisia.

“We know it is not going to be an easy game but we are prepared and the boys are looking forward to this game. They know that if we lose we go back home and if we win we progress to the next round,” Under-20 national team coach Chisi Mbewe said.

And goal keeper Jeban Tembo said the team was geared and ready to collect their first win which is crucial to make the next round.

After the shambolic display against Gambia in the previous fixture, Mbewe will hope that his charges will rise to the occasion to avoid being eliminated from the tournament without a victory.

Meanwhile, Zambia under-23 men’s national team coach Oswald Mutapa has unveiled a 30-man provisional squad that will face Egypt in next month’s final 2023 U-23 AFCON qualifier matches.

Zambia who qualified to the last round after beating Sierra Leone 2-1 on aggregate will play Egypt in the first leg of the decider on March 20 before hosting the North Africans in the return fixture scheduled for March 26.

Mutapa, who doubles as Nkwazi FC head coach has summoned Chibombo United striker Kelvin Mubanga in the squad consisting of players from the National Division one league and the FAZ Super League.

PROVISIONAL SQUAD:

GOALKEEPERS – Francis Mwansa (Trident), Jairos Tembo (FC Muza), Mukuka Chilufya (Aguila Stars), Patrick Chooma (Prison Leopards)

DEFENDERS – John Chishimba (Zesco United), Emmanuel Bwalya Chembe, Andrew Phiri, Mathews Chabala (all Nchanga Rangers), Nexala Mvula, Martin Zulu (both Chambishi), Ronald Chanda Chileshe (FC Muza), William Kamanga (Lumwana Radiants), Christopher Katongo (Kansanshi Dynamos), Sharpi Chikondi Njobvu (Green Eagles), Brian Musema (Jumulo)

MIDFIELDERS – Prince Mumba (Kabwe Warriors), Martin Zulu (Chambishi), Patrick Gondwe (Nkana), Joshua Mutale (Power Dynamos), Golden Mashata, John Kosamu (both Green Buffaloes), Peter Phiri (Morning Stars), Wilson Chisala, Dalitso Phiri (both Zanaco), Mwiya Mwiya (FC Muza)

STRIKERS – Andrew Phiri (FC Muza), Jimmy Mukeya (Napsa Stars), Enock Sakala Jr (Zesco United), Ricky Banda (Red Arrows), Jonathan Munalula (Forest Rangers), Kelvin Mubanga (Chibombo United).

By NATION REPORTER

LEADER of the Opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile has called on Government to move swiftly to prevent a strike by resolving the standoff between doctors and Government.

Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) general secretary Roy Tolopu warned that medical doctors would go on a nationwide strike by March 1, 2023 following their omission by government from the 10.5 percent salary increment for civil servants.

Civil Servants Allied Workers Union of Zambia Union President Davy Chiyobe was quoted in the media stating that the 10.5 percent increment did not carter for Doctors because they were at management level.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Mundubile who is also PF Presidential Candidate said Government should not neglect existing staff by improving their conditions of service even after employing 11 000 health workers.

He said it would be meaningless to employ 11 000 workers but senior doctors that supervise them go on strike because of poor conditions of service.

Mr. Mundubile said the fact that the conditions of service were negotiated, it was time that they were implemented.

“We also need to add that after employing 11 000 health workers, it was hoped that the decision would see improved service delivery in public health care facilities,” he said.

Mr. Mundubile said he had received reports from some parts of the country that there was still a shortage of staff in health care facilities.

“We begin to wonder what exactly is going on. Not long ago, we were grappling with the shortage of drugs and there is now an improvement in the supply of drugs but what we are getting now is shortage of personnel. It is a source of concern and we hope that Government will quickly look into it,” he said.

According to a study commissioned by Vision Direct, an average American will look at a screen for 44 years in his lifetime.

 A 20-year-old woman of Kalulushi has allegedly been sexually abused by a Community Crime Prevention Officer (CCPU) while being detained at a police station. The victim is believed to have been sexually abused while in detention by Frederick Musendeka who followed her to her holding cell after being apprehended around 01:30hours. It is believed that […]

By NATION REPORTER

IT is the desire of the government and President Hakainde Hichilema to see that all the people in the country live in peace and harmony as we embark on uniting and developing all parts of the country, Garry Nkombo has said.

Mr Nkombo, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has pledged government’s support to initiatives aimed at enhancing peace and unity in the country.

Speaking at the 2023 N’cwala traditional ceremony in Chipata on Saturday, Mr Nkombo said Hovernment would support and work with people that have programmes which were tailor made towards the promotion of peace and togetherness .

“We will support any programmes that are tailor-made to promote peace and harmony in the country because this is a fundamental bedrock for any society and for peace to prevail,” Mr Nkombo said.

Mr Nkombo commended Paramount Chief Mpezeni for supplementing government efforts in addressing cases of early marriages and the promotion of education as an equaliser.

He pledged that he would take the request by Chief Mpezeni to rename the Great East road to Umodzi highway and also the honouring of the first Ngoni king in Zambia Nsingo who was executed by Anglo-American soldiers in the late 1880’s.

And Paramount Chief Mpezeni advised politicians to embrace and sustain peace, love and unity if the country is to develop.

Mpezeni speaking people through his representative said it was sad to see increasing levels of tension especially among political leaders in the country, which he if not addressed could divide people based on tribe, ethnicity and religion among others.

Mpezeni who has been on the thrown for the last 40 years said Zambians should strive at living in peace and harmony, and ensure that they develop a heart of forgiveness and reconciliation and use it as a tool for fostering development in the country.

“I urge politicians to defend and sustain the peace which our forefathers fought for, through the one Zambia one nation motto, the future of Zambia lays in peace, love, unity and forgiveness which is key in nation development,” Paramount Chief Mpezeni said.

The traditional leader has since proposed that the Great East road from Airport roundabout to the Mwami-Mchinji border with Malawi be renamed as Umdozi highway to demonstrate love, peace and oneness.

He also encouraged young people to pursue education as a tool for creating wealth and refrain from engaging in illicit activities and child marriages as a livelihood.

And the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) expressed concern with the continued smuggling of mealie meal into neighbouring countries by unscrupulous business people.

FRA board Chairperson, Kelvin Hambwezhya noted that this is why there is need for the government to put in place strict security measures to address the scourge which has potential to affect the country’s food security.

” We are extremely concerned with the smuggling levels of mealie meal in to other countries, we as FRA released cheap maize to caution the high mealie meal prices, but unscrupulous businessmen want to take advantage of this, so we appeal to government to tighten security through various security wings”, he said

 AT a time when unemployment challenges and economic instability are high, small and medium-sized businesses (SMMEs) are proving to be the engines of economic growth and job creation throughout the African continent. In recognition of the critical role SMMEs play, MultiChoice launched the MultiChoice Africa Accelerator programme which trained 29 businesses across 9 African countries […]

In the 4-day workweek pilot, it was seen that 46% of employees felt less fatigued than usual. 

 IT is a dark day for a Lusaka father of Roza Kahiya farms in Mungule area after his 11-month-old baby died due to multiple dog bite wounds. The infant was left on the verandah of his fathers home when the dog which had forced itself out of its leash pounced on him . Choolwe Siamuzovu […]

The coronavirus pandemic likely arose from a Chinese laboratory leak, the US Department of Energy now says according to media, although the White House maintained Sunday that American intelligence remained divided on the issue.

By KALOBWE BWALYA
SOME local contractors have committed suicide because of pressure from banks and other lending institutions after the UPND government decided to criminalise them and refused to pay what was contractually owed, the Zambia Association of Citizens Contractors (ZCCO) has revealed.
And the local contractors are angry that the UPND government has continued demonising them by branding them criminals and thieves while refusing to pay even in instances where the contractors had met all the contractual obligations.
Mr Mutale Mpepo, the ZACCO president says it is saddening that the government had decided to criminalise the country’s local contractors most of whom had, over the years served successive administrations with due diligence.
At a media breifing he said some local contractors had committed suicide due to pressure from Banks and other lending institutions because government had refused to pay them which had led to the nonpayment of their wages and salaries.
Mr Mpepo has appealed to the government not to bankrupt the local business and save the sector which he said was now in an “intensive care.”
“Instead of government negotiating with contractors, we have a situation where contractors are being insulted every day. Our local contractors are being branded criminals, thieves and incompetent. We have lost some of our local contractors who have taken their own lives bevcause of the pressure from banks and other lending institutions and government is happy about it. We have never been criminals, never have we ever been thieves and it is unfortunate that government has continued demonising us, branding us as criminals, thieves not worthy of working with the government,” Mr Mpepo said.
Mr Mpepo said government should desist criminalizing local contractors most of whom had been rendered restitutes as a result of government decision not pay for the services they had contractually provided.
At a media brefing yesterday, Mr Mpepo said because of the bad publicity, the local contractors were being denied the opportunity to secure finances from the banks and other lending institutions the lending institutions were considering local contractors risky.
Mr Mpepo said the mistrust that was existing from government was in fact collapsing the sector and that it was against government’s own policy of employment creation and promotion of small-scale enterprises.
He has advised government to quickly meet the representatives of contractors and suppliers with view to discuss and working out mechanism which would lead to the dismantling of the outstanding payments owed to local suppliers.
And Mr Mpepo said the Zambian contractors have always complied with the international standards while admitting that there were some contractors who did not carry their work effectively and professionally.
He said last year government terminated 197 feeder road contracts out of the 240 countywide valued at over K10 billion.
“Government should therefore expedite the process of dismantling debt owed to local contractors and allow the sector back on track failure to which, the association foresees a situation where most of the contractors will close their business,” Mr Mpepo said.