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POWER Dynamos have staggered on the international stage recording a 2-1 loss to Namibia’s African Stars in the first leg of the preliminary round of Champions League. The Super League Champions are in South Africa where the match was being played but will return to Kitwe empty handed after being seen off by the Namibians. […]

By PRINCE MABUMBA

ENERGY expert, Johnstone Chikwanda has proposed that Zesco should consider entering into joint venture (JV) partnerships with Independent Power Producers (IPP) to enable the national power utility diversify its energy portfolio from hydropower to alternative sources of energy.

Speaking when he featured on Millennium Television’s Business Day programme dubbed Energy Security and Economic Development, Dr Chikwanda said instead of merely selling power to Zesco, IPPs should enter into joint ventures with the power utility firm for mutual benefit.

“I would want to see a situation where going forward, IPPs enter into joint ventures with Zesco and not just supply to them so that you suffer together the consequences.

“That is a very good model because then it means you rise together and fall together but also it will help to accelerate Zesco’s transitioning to diversifying their sources of energy,” Dr Chikwanda said.

He expressed concern that over 95 percent of Zesco’s revenue was generated through hydropower generation and supply.

Dr Chikwanda said this means that the national power utility firm faces challenges to generate power whenever the country experiences drought.

“But if they diversify through joint venture partnerships as we are seeing, it means that even if they have a challenge with one source of energy, they can still depend on other forms of energy and continue to generate revenue and income but even above that, be able to serve their customers and keeping with their motto of ‘powering the nation’,” Dr Chikwanda said.

He welcome the joint venture partnership between Zesco and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC-MASDAR for the development of the renewable energy in Zambia to a total capacity of two gigawatts starting with the installation of 500 megawatts (MW).

Meanwhile, Dr Chikwanda says it is time for Government to consider a consultative policy assessment process on the viability of the monthly review of fuel pump prices.

“I think the bottom line of this matter is that every policy goes through policy assessment and I think this policy has done over two years now, it was started under the previous administration. I believe that it is time to reconsider by relooking at it, involve all the stakeholders, is this policy working for us or not?” he said.

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…Kitwe giants Nkana host Red Arrows at Woodlands Stadium  

BY MICHAEL MIYOBA

HIGH Flying Nkwazi FC commenced the 2023/2024 MTN/FAZ Super League on a positive note by stunning promoted Konkola Blades 1-0 in a Week One opener played at Edwin Imboela Stadium in Lusaka. 

Stephen Mutama was the hero of the day as his second half strike guaranteed Nkwazi’s triumph in the first game of the new season. 

After a scoreless first half, Mutama stunned the promoted side with a goal in the 77th minute to propel the Zambia Police-sponsored Super League side to the top with three points. 

Meanwhile, Super League action continues today as Woodlands Stadium is set to host a crunch double header involving the titans of the FAZ Super League. 

Kitwe giants Nkana have adopted Woodlands Stadium as their home venue following a ban on Nkana Stadium in Kitwe and will host last year’s champions Red Arrows in the second fixture of the double header. 

In a lunch time kick off at the same venue, Napsa Stars will host Ndola giants Zesco United who are ambitious to begin the season on a positive note. 

The big game is expected to produce sparks as Napsa Stars will also be aiming to shine brighter after preparing adequately for their Week-1 fixture against the visitors. 

Boosted by the arrival of experienced Saith Sakala and a new sponsorship deal from Stanbic Bank, the pensioners will fight to beat last season record when they finished the league on fifth position after they won promotion from the National Division One.

At Independence Stadium in Choma, Green Eagles will take on Mutondo Stars while Trident will welcome Kansanshi Dynamos at Nkana Stadium.  Tomorrow, legendary “Mighty” Mufulira Wanderers begin life in the Super League by hosting Green Buffaloes at Shinde Stadium while Forest Rangers will welcome Kabwe Warriors at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. 

The clash involving CAF envoys Power Dynamos and Muza FC who were scheduled to meet Prison Leopards and Zanaco have been pushed to a later date to allow Power and Muza focus on the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederations Cup respectively. 

As civilization ground to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, trapping humans like caged mice, addiction expert Keith Humphreys could only agonize over the collateral damage. America was already losing the war on addiction with 70,000 annual overdose casualties, even after a decade-long battle against opioids.

 …tells new dawn to instead focus on measures that will enable citizens have access to affordable mealie-meal

By SHARON ZULU

NEW Heritage Party president, Chishala Kateka has advised Government to put in place measures to ensure that citizens have access to cheaply priced mealie-meal instead of blaming millers for the escalating prices of the staple food.

In an interview with Millennium TV, Ms Kateka said Government’s attempt to shift its failure to manage the staple food to innocent business people was not only reckless but also scandalous.

She said the mealie-meal issue   was a matter of national security as it impinged on the country’s political, economic and social stability.

“There is no need for our people to be starving when the country is so well endowed with all that is required for maize production such as abundant water, good soils and hardworking people.

“In all this, we need to recognise that millers are in business just like the mining houses and who have been given incentives, Ms Kateka said.

She added that one of the factors that had contributed to the high mealie-meal prices was the removal of subsidies on maize inputs for small-scale farmers who are the largest traditional producers of grain for human consumption.

Ms Kateka urged Government to stop blaming the millers because they are an important component of the maize value chain.

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By NATION REPORTER

KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) has prioritised the purchasing of equipment to ensure the firm remains viable and continues to run until the issues surrounding provisional liquidation are resolved.

KCM Provisional Liquidator, Celine Nair said at the commissioning of two front-end loader mining equipment in Nampundwe Mine yesterday that running a mine was not a cheap feat and having reliable equipment made mining easier, safer and more productive.

Ms Nair said KCM had to formulate ways of reducing production costs while improving efficiency in the production process and one way was the purchase of two front end loaders.

She said from 2020 Nampundwe Mine had operated without its own front end loaders and hired two loaders between June 22, 2021 to June 2023 at a cost of US$717, 879.62 to ensure continuity of production.

“After an evaluation, management agreed this was increasing the cost of production for the mine and decided to buy the two machines at a cost of US$131,035 this month,” she said.

She said buying the machines had multi-pronged benefits for the company and the country’s economy.

Ms Nair said the new machines would reduce costs associated with purchases of spare parts and repairs in the short term, there by increasing equipment reliability, availability and efficiency which were vital for increased production.

“Nampundwe Mine is central to KCM as it produces Pyrite an important mineral in the copper smelting process at the Nchanga Smelter in Chingola. Increased production of Pyrite will cause a ripple effect leading to an increased production of copper and acid at the smelter. The export of copper is beneficial to the Treasury of the nation through much needed foreign exchange earnings,” she said.

Ms. Nair explains that, purchasing the machines had multi prolonged benefits for the company and the economy of Zambia at large.

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PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema’s public statement on the ongoing gold and money scandal will help allay fears of a government cover-up that his associates had planted.

The President yesterday warned that those involved, who could include government officials and State House staff will be on their own once the law catches up with them.

This is a clear deviation from the statement made by Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Jack Mwiimbu.

In what amounted to pre-emptying investigations, Mr Mwiimbu warned politicians especially the opposition not to use the incident to scandalise and demonise President Hichilema and State House staff.

In his statement, the minister said President Hichilema and State House staff should be left out of the gold scandal in which the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) seized US$5, 697, 700 from a private jet, pistols, seven magazines, 126 rounds of ammunition and 602 suspected pieces of gold, which has since turned into a combination of copper, zinc and tin.

With his comments, President Hichilema has at least assured that his administration will ensure that there are no sacred cows that will be spared during the ongoing investigations.

President Hichilema says he will ensure that all the questions that remained unanswered about the gold saga that transpired at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) were brought to the table.

The open manner in which President Hichilema has handled the incident is what is expected from all those serving in public offices.

Mr Mwiimbu ought to realise that the incident has captured the public’s imagination as to what could have happened.

To this end, no one should take away the public’s right to comment on the incident which is in the public domain.

Any attempt to stop the public from commenting on the incident with threats of “the law will take its course,” is sending wrong signals that there could be a cover up.

We believe Zambians must be free to debate issues as they see them without fear of the ‘big brother syndrome” synonymous with police states.

Zambians, as President Hichilema alluded to at State House yesterday, know that what transpired at the KKIA was not a normal business transaction but a criminal act.

He was emphatic that the gold and money scandal that took place at the airport was purely a criminal act and all those involved, irrespective of their status whether at State House, government or foreign national will have to face the full wrath of law.

The nation must not ignore that the initial investigations were bungled with the many different statement being issued in trying to “clarify” the genuineness and value of the purported gold and trying to gag citizens from saying anything.

“… I must admit we created a gap in providing information but we do not want to leave room for a vacuum because it leads to innuendos,” observed Mr Hichilema yesterday.

That is the openness expected from his colleagues in the new dawn administration.

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People who daily breathe in air pollution, particularly from wildfires or agricultural sources, might need to add a heightened risk of dementia to their list of health concerns.

helicopter

By NATION REPORTER

THE Drug Enforcement Commission has received former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji’s helicopter which was held up in South Africa.

DEC Director General Nason Banda who was on hand to receive Mr Malanji’s Helicopter said it was worth US$1.4 million, that they had managed to bring back the helicopter with the help of international law agencies.

Mr Banda said the DEC was committed to ensure that assets suspected to be purchased using proceeds of crimes were recovered.

He said not even borders would stop the asset forfeitures and like President Hakainde Hichilema indicated, they would not leave any stones unturned.

“As you are aware one of the helicopter was in Zimbabwe which came earlier while this one was in South Africa and we have managed to bring them both back,” he said.

Mr Banda said bringing the two helicopters was not the end and that they might bring other proceeds.

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Ever heard “low testosterone” blamed for low mood, brain fog and loss of vitality? Despite all evidence to the contrary, social media influencers are increasingly promoting testosterone therapy as an elixir for women experiencing troubling symptoms of menopause.