Zambia Weekly Week 32, Volume 1, Issue 18, 13 August 2010

In this issue
In this issue
Development is hard work
Ungrateful for pardoning?
By-elections: the same difference!
MP’s death is being politicised
TAZARA (likely) to be bailed out
Mpombo: two bounced cheques
Abuse of office: duplication is okay
Shed dependency syndrome!
Advert: tree surgery
1.5 million MTN subscribers
300 market stands burnt
Development is hard work
Zambia is certain to meet only 3 of 10 millennium devel-
1 opment goal (MDG) targets by 2015.
1 Deputy Minister of Justice Todd Chilembo said a further
2 6 targets have “the potential to be met”, and that the
remaining target (Target 9 of MDG 7 on environmental
3 sustainability) is unlikely to be met (Times/Daily Mail 6).
3 The first of the 3 targets that Zambia will meet is Target
4 2 of MDG 1, which aims at halving, between 1990 and
2015, the proportion of people suffering from hunger.
5
Target 1 of MDG 1 (halving the proportion of the popu-
5 lation living in extreme poverty), on the other hand, will
6 only be met with consistent investment, said Chilembo.
The proportion of the urban/rural population living in
7 extreme poverty has fallen from 32/81 percent in 1998 to
7 20/67 percent in 2006.

Bizar rape 7 The second target that will be met is Target 3 of MDG
Editor’s note
Where I come from we have a queen. One
of her main tasks is to represent the kingdom
abroad. This entails numerous travels to numer-
ous countries. Our prime minister, on the other
hand, mostly stays at home. He is probably busy
running the country. In Zambia, where there
is no queen, all the travelling has ended up on
the plate of President Banda, who defies his 73
years and travels extensively (thankfully he can
delegate to far more ministers than the prime
minister of my birth country). This week saw
the usual attacks on his travelling (after all, he
travels more than any of his predecessors) – and
an unusual amount of the usual defence from
the government, which claims Banda travels to
woo investors. The question is whether foreign
investors choose Zambia because they have met
Banda (however nice he is) or whether they will
invest in Zambia because of its accommodat-
ing investment climate (read: profit!). This year
alone, Banda has visited Ethiopia, China, Mala-
wi, Namibia, DRC, France, Uganda, Turkey and
Botswana. Some of these visits are undoubtedly
presidential material. Others could probably be
handled by someone else. One of the results of
the Turkish visit, according to the Times, is that
Zambians now can get a visa to Turkey – on
entry – rather than through “tedious proce-
dures” beforehand. And in Botswana, Banda
officially opened the Serowe Institute of Health
Sciences. At least when my queen goes abroad,
she doesn’t bring a good chunck of the govern-
ment with her (or expect them to wave farewell
at the airport). Instead she leaves the wooing of
investors to the weighty business delegations
that accompany her.
flickr.com/photos/livunni/3823426824
2 (universal primary education), saying that all children,
boys and girls alike, will be able to complete primary
schooling. In Zambia, the net enrolment has increased from 80 percent in 1990 to 97 percent
in 2006.
The last target to be met is Target 4 of MDG 3 (gender equality), which aims at eliminating
gender disparity in all levels of education by 2015.
The other 5 targets that have the potential to be met by 2015 are Target 5 of MDG 4 (reduce
by two-thirds the under-five mortality rate), Target 6 of MDG 5 (reduce by three-quarters
the maternal mortality rate), Target 7 of MDG 6 (have begun to reverse the spread of HIV/
AIDS), Target 8 of MDG 6 (have begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major
diseases) and Target 10 of MDG 7 (halve the proportion of the population without sustain-
able access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation). The baseline for all targets is 1990.
Ungrateful for pardoning?
President Rupiah Banda was this week “roundly praised” by a “cross-section of soci-
ety” for having pardoned Patriotic Front (PF) cadres arrested for blocking a motor-
cade of Vice-President George Kunda in Ndola last week (Daily Mail 6).
According to the Daily Mail, the cross-section consisted of the Evangelical Fellow-
ship of Zambia, Independent Churches in Zambia, Southern African Centre for the
Constructive Resolution of Disputes, Anti-Voter Apathy Project and the Forum for
Leadership Search. They described President Banda as a “true father of the nation”
who is committed to enhancing peace through reconciliation.
The cadres that were pardoned probably agreed, but the PF was not impressed: “(...)
the president under the constitution can only pardon a person who has been con-
victed and not a person who is just suspected of having committed an offence,” said
PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba (Post 6), who claimed Banda was using the
pardon as a political trump card to woo voters in Chifubu.
“I do not believe,” said Kabimba, that Chifubu is an isolated incident. The question is
“how many times has the president without the knowledge of the general public (...)
directed the police either to arrest his political opponents or release MMD cadres
from police custody?” Kabimba asked.

The best of the Zambian media 1

 Zambia Weekly News

By-elections: The same difference! Quotes

Zambia has just been through yet another round of by-
elections which changed – next to nothing. Both the two

“
parliamentary by-elections in Chifubu and Luena as well
as the nine local government by-elections were charac-
terised by voter apathy.
In Luena, voting started out with “scores of people
trooping to the polling stations” (Times 6). In the end,
however, only 8,630 people out of the more than 15,000
The issue of fighting corruption has of
late become a very popular political
campaign tool worldwide. But unfor-
tunately, the same leaders or officials
that campaign on fighting corruption
become very corrupt themselves when

”
registered voters made the effort to vote (Post 6). In in power.
Chifubu, the turnout was slow throughout and ended
Phil Matsheza, founding director of the
with less than half of all registered voters showing up.
Human Rights Trust Southern Africa
The Luena seat was retained by Charles Milupi – al- (Sunday Mail).
though he now represents a new political party, Alliance

“
for Development and Democracy (ADD), whereas
I used to enjoy sitting in his verandah at
before he was an independent MP. Milupi polled 3,688
the palace and talking about the prob-
votes followed by Movement for Multiparty Democ-
As long as the grassroots are with us! lems our people are facing and what we
racy’s Mwangala Maopu (2,800 votes), United Party

”
can do.
for National Development’s Muyunda Ililonga (1,806
votes), United Liberal Party Sikatala Musole (116 votes) and United National Independence President Rupiah Banda on Senior
Party’s Mutakela Mutakela (115 votes). Chief Nzamane (see page 5) - Post 9.
The MMD obviously failed in their attempts to convince people of the western province about
the shortcomings of Milupi, who said his victory “marks the beginning of the [ADD] party’s
mobilisation”, but the MMD found comfort in the fact that it only lost by 888 votes compared “ As we unleash you to the unsuspecting

”
public...
to 2,000 in the 2006 general elections (Daily Mail 7).
Chief justice Ernest Sakala at the gradu-
The UPND put its loss to the MMD in Luena down to “the rampant bribery” carried out ation of 443 police recruit constables in
by the MMD, although Guy Scott, the vice-president of UPND’s pact partner, the Patriotic Kitwe (Daily Mail 10).
Front (PF), chirped that maybe the UPND should have left the Luena seat to the PF to con-
test (Post 11) – which immediately infuriated the UPND (Daily Mail 12). The Luena seat was
one of the seats that had divided the pact in the run-up to the by-elections.
The Chifubu seat was retained by the Patriotic Front (PF), this time going to Susan Kawan-
dami (6,976 votes) followed by MMD’s Frank Ng’ambi (4,539 votes), ADD’s Brian Banda
“ [A]lmost all developing countries when
they are about to go for elections, they
experience this: donors will normally
(412 votes) and UNIP’s Poko Mambwe (221 votes). Once again, the MMD pointed out that withdraw funds and find many ex-
it had gained ground, as it lost by 2,400 votes compared to over 5,000 votes in 2006. But cuses to give for not doing this funding
the MMD did notice that it had lost five of the seven parliamentary by-elections held since because their interest is to see a regime
Banda assumed office. “It does raise a bit of concern,” said MMD acting national secretary change because they believe that that
Chembe Nyangu (Post 12). is when they can promote democracy

”
through regime change.
The MMD accepted the results of both parliamentary by-elections and emphasised that it had
won six of the nine local government seats, three of which were grabbed from the opposition. Minister of works and supply, Mike
“This is an indication,” said a happy President Rupiah Banda (Times 7), that the MMD “is Mulongoti (Post 9), who later clarified
strong at the grassroots.” that he did not say Zambia’s cooperating
partners are supporting a change of gov-
In two of the contested wards, Chanjowe (Chadiza constituency) and Longe (Kaoma ernment. He only said that withholding
Central), the PF-UPND Pact had agreed to disagree when both parties fielded candidates – funding before elections was bound to
despite having previously agreed not to compete against each other. But it all came to nothing be misunderstood (Times 10).
as the MMD won both of these seats.

“
The local government by-elections were also marked by low turn-out. In Chimwemwe ward,
We are so used at corporate level to
for instance, less than 1,400 people voted out of 4,320 registered voters. The Anti-Voter Apa-
obtain the traditional ‘three quotations’
thy Project said the political parties failed to inspire voters (Sunday Mail).
before we make a purchase. Sometimes
the cost of obtaining quotations is even
higher than the cost of the actual item –
not to mention the time that collecting
Correction
”
quotations in person can consume.

Last week Zambia Weekly placed Charles Milupi in Chifubu constituency rather than Nacana Musiwa, Customer Care
Luena constituency. Three alert readers were kind enough to point out the error. We Column (Daily Mail 10).
apologise for the confusion caused.

The best of the Zambian media 2

 Zambia Weekly News
MP’s death is being politicised
Mpulungu MP Lameck Chibombamilimo (MMD) has died from
kidney complications in India. He was 49.
In 2009, president Rupiah Banda fired Chibombamilimo as energy
deputy minister and Katuba MP Jonas Shakafuswa as deputy minister
of science and technology. Back then, Banda accused Chibombam-
ilimo of disloyalty (Post 10). Subsequently, the MMD National
Executive Commission (NEC) expelled Chibombamilimo and
Shakafuswa. But the duo filed an injunction in the High Court to
block the expulsion.
Chief government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said the state
is grieved by the death of Chibombamilimo, whom he described as
a great contributor to democracy (Daily Mail 10). But president of
Patriotic Front (PF) Michael Sata said the government only evacu-
ated Chibombamilimo, after he complained (Post 11).
Nonsense, said President Rupiah Banda (Daily Mail 11): “[W]e tried
our best to ensure he is treated.”
Hmm, said Shakafuswa, who claimed Chibombamilimo’s illness was
worsened by his dismissal. Chibombamilimo had allegedly lamented
that the burden of the public ridicule had become too much (Post 12).
But MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga pointed out that
Chibombomilimo had not been sick when disciplinary measures were
instituted against him (Post 12), and the MMD had in fact resolved
to lift the expulsion of Chibombamilimo about a month ago, as Chi-
bombamilimo “had shown remorse” (Daily Mail 12).
When Chibombamilimo’s body arrived at Lusaka International
Airport, a group of PF members led by Sata “nearly caused a fight”
when they sang songs in front of their MMD counterparts, including
MMD Lusaka province chairman William Banda, Minister of For-
eign Affairs Kabinga Pande, Minister of Health Kapembwa Simbao,
Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Catherine
Namugala and other senior officials (Daily Mail 12).
TAZARA (likely) to be bailed out
Zambia and Tanzania have expressed willingness to settle the
“colossal” debt owed by the Tanzania Zambia Railways Authority
(TAZARA) to its present and former employees. TAZARA general
manager, Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika said a council of min-
isters has requested the auditor general offices from both countries
to establish and verify the actual figure of the debt before making a
final decision. Mbikusita-Lewanika said the debt cannot be liquidated
through the company’s revenues – which even are insufficient to meet
operational costs. The bulk of the debt is owed to pension managers
such as the Zambia State Insurance Corporation. Zambia still owes
the Chinese government USD 340 million for the construction of
the railway from 1970-75. A Chinese team of railway experts has just
finished a field study of TAZARA with the aim to assist in turning it
around. In December 2009, a Yuan 270 million (about K 195 billion)
loan was signed between Tanzania, Zambia and China to supply elec-
tric locomotives and wagons, rehabilitation of cranes and training of
staff, among others. TAZARA is this year targeting to move 700,000
tonnes of freight and 900,000 passengers and in the long term, the
company’s vision is to transport up to 2 million tonnes of freight and
1.5 million passengers per year (Daily Mail 11).
News in brief
Agriculture subsidies are increasing
A report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) shows that subsidies for agriculture
in industrialised countries are rising – despite promises to the
opposite such as the controversial Economic Partnership Agree-
ments with the European Union (EU). The report, Agricultural
Policies in OECD countries at a glance in 2010, states that
the subsidies distort international trade and destroy livelihoods
of poor farmers in developing countries, especially in Africa.
According to OECD, subsidies for agriculture in industrialised
countries have increased from 21 percent in 2008 to 22 percent
in 2009 to record USD 252.5 billion (about K 1.2 quadrillion).
The EU spends about USD 75 billion on subsidies for agricul-
ture, even though the sector represents only about 2 percent
of the total gross domestic product of the union. The OECD
represents the 30 most industrialised countries of the world,
including the US and most members of the EU (Post 12).
2010 FDI to surpass 2009 FDI - by far!
Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has recorded Foreign Di-
rect Investment (FDI) of USD 2.4 billion (about K 12 billion)
in the first half of 2010 – more than double the FDI recorded
for 2009 as a whole (USD 959 million). The global FDI flow
is projected to increase to over USD 1.2 trillion in 2010, rising
further to USD 1.3-1.5 trillion in 2011 and to USD 1.6-2.0
trillion in 2012, according to the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development World Investment Report. ZDA
director for export promotion and market development, Glyne
Michelo, said these FDI prospects were fraught with risks and
uncertainties, including the fragility of the global economic
recovery (Daily Mail 10).
This week’s figures
Only 47 percent of all women deliver their babies in health
facilities while the remaining 53 percent deliver at home. In
the United Kingdom, home births account for 2.2 percent of
all births.
(Sunday Mail)
The best of the Zambian media 3
 Zambia Weekly This week’s controversy: George Mpombo
Justice: how to balance two bounced cheques
Rebel MP George Mpombo (MMD) was this week
sentenced to two months simple imprisonment and a
fine of K 4 million for issuing a cheque of K 10 million
on an insufficiently funded account. But he is not the
only one bouncing cheques!
On 11 December 2009 Mpombo had borrowed K 10
million from Colwyn Limited to whom he issued a
post-dated cheque for 18 December 2009.
According to Ndola Chief Resident magistrate Kelvin
Limbani, Mpombo had “wilfully had intent to defraud”
as he on 17 December 2009 had called Colwyn’s chair-
man to inform him not to bank the cheque because he
was going to give him cash instead (Daily Mail 7).
“I am convinced that the accused was fully aware of his obligations
and since he had cash in hand on 17 December 2009, he should have
deposited it,” Limbani said
Mpombo’s lawyer had asked the court to fine Mpombo instead of
giving him a custodial sentence as he “repaid the money at the earliest
notice” (Post 7), but Limbani stated that cases of financial nature are
serious because they can affect “the economy of the nation” – with
reference to the recent global recession (Daily Mail 10).
When convicted, Mpombo “looked so surprised” but he quickly
recovered: “They have failed to politically deal with me and have had
to resort to the abuse of the judicial process,” he said with reference to Mpombo has filed a notice of appeal against the sentence and applied
President Rupiah Banda and the MMD government (Post 7).
Nonsense, retorted the MMD. “I have nothing to do with it,” said
Heap it on!
It was not a good week for Kafulafuta MP George Mpombo
(MMD). First, he got sentenced to two months imprisonment
(see above). Next, he got suspended from parliament for having
brought the House “into disrepute and public ridicule”. Then,
his constituency turned its back on him.
In July 2009, Mpombo resigned – for misty reasons – as
defence minister and MMD national executive committee
chairman for energy. Since then he has been criticising the
government non-stop, but now he has gone too far, according
to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges, Absences and
Support Services.
On 5 July 2010, the Post published an article with the head-
line “Kunda is the most stupid Vice-President – Mpombo”,
and this week the committee established that this amounted
to attacking the vice-president outside the House. In short,
Mpombo was found guilty of breaching parliamentary privi-
leges and etiquette.
As a result he was suspended from parliament for two months,
which in real life amounts to one week of the next session, as
parliament adjourned sine die on 6 August 2010 (Times/Daily
Mail 7).
President Rupiah Banda (Times 10). And a good
selection of civil society organisations said Mpombo’s
conviction should be a lesson to all leaders that they
are not above the law (Sunday Mail).
Fair enough, said PF general secretary, Wynter
Kabimba (Post 9), but “the conviction of Mpombo
over the K 10 million cheque and the non-arrest of
Lucy Changwe over the same offence is eroding the
principle of equality before the law in Zambia.”
He referred to deputy minister of gender, Lucy Chan-
gwe (MMD), who bounced a K 10 million cheque
in a house purchase transaction. Roger Musonda, the
owner of the property, this week said he was “very suspicious” about
the delay in arresting Changwe (Post 12).
Well, pondered Transparency International Zambia, it “is a well-
known fact that Hon Mpombo has distinguished himself as one of
the leading critics of the current government”. The two cases point to
the “rule of vengeance rather than the rule of law”, stated TIZ execu-
tive director Goodwell Lungu (Post 11).
Both complainants, Roger Musonda and Colwyn’s chairman, Terence
Findley, have been paid their K 10 million. Musonda reported Chan-
gwe to the police because “bouncing a cheque was a criminal offence”
(Post 9). Findley probably did it for similar noble motives?
for bail pending the appeal. The court has set 13 August for hearing
of the matter (Times 11).
Mpombo’s fall from grace, however, brought on a bit of the
usual bickering. The MMD in Kafulafuta Constituency and
its seven wards decided to pass a vote of no confidence in their
MP, Mpombo, as he had “failed to represent them” (Sunday
Mail). MMD Masaiti district chairman Micheal Katambo
said people of Kafulafuta had decided that Mpombo should
leave his position as MP. But they had forgotten to ask all the
people.
A few days later, Kafulafuta’s MMD Mutaba Ward council-
lor David Kalutwa said Mpombo was being persecuted for
speaking the truth: “This is the end of MMD is Lambaland,”
he threatened (Post 11). But the tribal argument was rejected
by Katambo, who ascertained that Kalutwa did not represent
the Lamba Royal Establishment (Daily Mail 12). Katambo is
also the organising chairman of the Chabalankata traditional
ceremony.
Meanwhile, the disciplinary committee of the MMD National
Executive Committee made “far-reaching” although undis-
closed recommendations for Mpombo future membership of
the MMD (Times 10). And MMD spokesperson, Dora Siliya,
advised Kalutwa to resign.
The best of the Zambian media 4
 Zambia Weekly News: Abuse of office
Sometimes duplication is okay
The past few weeks have seen regular articles in the private media
about the dangers of government wanting to remove the “abuse of of-
fice” clause from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act. “How
can anyone in their right mind,” asked rebel MP, Enoch Kavindele
(MMD), who is former vice-president, “want to remove a law which
protects the interest of the majority from a few greedy ones” (Post 6)?
But this week, vice-president George Kunda countered all fears:
“I can confirm that we are reforming the law on the fight against
corruption. And one of the laws under review is the Anti Corruption
Commission Act. (...) As for abuse of office offence it exists even in
the Penal Code. So (...) we want to avoid duplication of offences. But
I can assure that abuse of office will continue to be an offence. As for
where it will be placed, that is our prerogative as government,” Kunda
stated in parliament (Post 6).
But professor Michelo Hansungule, an ardent opponent of corruption,
challenged Kunda to provide evidence of people convicted for abuse
of office under the Penal Code as opposed to the current ACC Act
(Post 9).
“George Kunda should be realistic. The police whom Kunda suddenly
has all the confidence in actually happen to be the main ‘customers’
of the Anti-Corruption Commission. (...) This is why the ACC was
established,” Hansungule said.
Abuse of office - according to commentators
Kelvin Kachingwe, Sunday Mail:
Government has clearly stated its reasons for amending the
clause. Justice deputy minister Todd Chilembo says the act does
not take into account the fact that public officials have other
sources of income besides their salary. The current act, as it
stands, criminalises a person with more wealth than their income.
[In Zambia] the most common offence in the fight against cor-
ruption among public officials has been the abuse of public office
and also where the Nolle prosequi is one of the most abused tools
by prosecutors. That must certainly be one of the reasons why
government wants to address the current ACC act. It is open
to abuse. In any case, there are other sufficient laws to deal with
public officers who abuse their offices.
Sunday Post Editorial:
The other day one of Rupiah’s chief bootlickers, George Kunda,
had the audacity to stand in parliament and tell the nation that it
was within their prerogative as a government to keep the law on
abuse of office in the Anti Corruption Act as it is, or not to. It is
the Anti Corruption Commission law against abuse of office that
caused problems for former permanent secretary in the Min-
istry of Health Kashiwa Bulaya, (...) former Zambia National
Commercial Bank managing director Samuel Musonda [and]
(...) caught the generals in our defence forces who had gotten
accustomed to using their offices to acquire all sorts of wealth
illegally. George knows that part of the reason why the offence
was legislated under the Anti Corruption Commission Act was
because the law as it stood in the Penal Code is useless and not
able to curb corruption. Why are Rupiah and his minions so
scared of this law?
The US in brief
New US ambassador
New US ambassador to Zam-
bia, Mark Charles Storella, has
hailed Zambia’s peaceful history
while pledging his govern-
ment’s continued partnership in
fighting corruption. Storella was
confirmed as the new ambassa-
dor on 5 August 2010 by a voice
vote in the US Senate. Storella
comes from a position as senior
coordinator for Iraqi refugees
and internally displaced persons at the US Embassy in Baghdad.
Before that he served as deputy permanent representative and
deputy chief of mission at the US Mission to the United Na-
tions and other International Organisations in Geneva. Other
overseas assignments include Phnom Penh, Rome, Paris and
Bangkok. Ambassador Storella, who takes over from Donald
Booth, will arrive in Zambia in September to a new US embassy
in Ibex Hill in Lusaka (Times 10 and Post 11).
Shed dependency syndrome!
President Banda has challenged Zambians to shed off their de-
pendency syndrome. Banda said Zambians can only be proud of
themselves if they stand up to the challenge of fighting poverty
by making a decision to develop Zambia themselves. He said
this at the launch of the 2010-2015 Mfumbeni Strategic Devel-
opment Plan; an initiative of Senior Chief Nzamane, aimed at
mitigating poverty in the chiefdom. Nzamane said government’s
efforts to develop the area had fallen short of people’s expecta-
tions and that resources allocated to developmental activities did
not show clear and prominent results due to unsystematic devel-
opment plans. The Mfumbeni Strategic Development Plan will
enhance coordinated development. It is supported by the United
States International Development Agency (USAID) and vari-
ous co-operating partners (ZANIS in Sunday Times/Mail).
It takes more than aid to combat AIDS
The US government has said Zambian citizens must take
responsibility for the fight against HIV and AIDS by changing
their behaviour. During the launch of the President’s Emergen-
cy Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for Mwinilunga, PEPFAR
country coordinator Kristie Mikus said foreign commitment
meant nothing without the equal commitment of Zambi-
ans. “(...) foreign aid will not abolish this pandemic. Instead,
individual behaviour must change,” she said. Mikus said she
was hopeful PEPFAR would serve as a mechanism to engage
Zambians by putting US resources directly into the hands of
Zambian citizens, including those in the most remote parts of
the country (Post 12).
The best of the Zambian media 5
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 Zambia Weekly News
Parliament on break
On 6 August 2010, parliament adjourned sine die. The fourth session
of the tenth National Assembly sat for 23 days from 29 June 2010.
Parliament will sit again in about two months (Daily Mail 7).
Church celebrates 100 years
The Anglican Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Zambia.
In the Eastern Diocese, more than 40 Anglicans walked 90 kilome-
tres from Chipata to Msoro to reflect on the work of the early Chris-
tians: “(...) the early missionaries used to walk long distances (...) so
we want to have a feel of what the early missionaries went through,”
said Fr Dennis Milanzi, Diocesan Vicar-General. At the launch of
the centenary celebrations in March, Eastern Province minister Isaac
Banda said the Anglican Church had done a lot in the last 100 years
in addressing the spiritual and social needs of the people of Zambia
(Post 11).
1.5 million MTN subscribers
MTN Zambia has hit the 1.5 million subscriber mark. Chief executive
officer Farhad Khan said this milestone could not have been achieved
without the support and loyalty of the telecommunication company’s
customers over the past five years. MTN Zambia is this month cele-
brating its fifth anniversary with a birthday promotion in all its service
centres that gives customers the opportunity to win various giveaways
with the purchase of any MTN product. “As an organisation, we con-
stantly strive to ensure that any product or service that we take to the
market enriches a customer’s life and it’s for this reason that MTN has
been able to achieve such an exponential growth,” said Khan (Post 6).
Zain has more than 3 million subscribers.
2010 census training to commence
The government has released its first disbursement of K 62 billion to
the Central Statistical Office for the 2010 national population census
in October. The total budget for the exercise is about K 226 billion.
This first disbursement is earmarked for “census training programme
and activities”. The national population census will provide popula-
tion and housing data that will assist in the monitoring and evaluation
of Zambia’s development programmes as well as the planning and
delivery of social services (Times 11). The last census was carried out
in 2001.
Rice to be grown in the highlands
The Zambia Seed Company (ZAMSEED) has introduced a new
variety of rice, NERICA 4, with early maturity, which will increase
yields to 4-6 tonnes per hectares. According to ZAMSEED sales and
marketing manager Zack Musonda the new rice “can be grown in
highlands and suits the Zambian climate”. He said rice was becoming
an increasingly popular cereal (Times).
Titbit News
300 market stands burnt
Fire swept through Chipata’s Kaumbwe market on the night of
5 August 2010, destroying over 300 trading stands. One of the
victims, Petronella Mwale, said the fire started around mid-
night and that it was believed to have been arson. Mwale said
that alert shop owners and Chipata fire brigade prevented the
fire from causing more damage. Last year, another fire gutted
the same market. Kaumbwe Market is located within Mchini
Compound; one of the biggest compounds in Chipata (Sunday
Post).
Closing in on spear killers
The Zambia Police Service has made “tremendous progress” in
tracking down the three brothers who are believed to be behind
the brutal killing of the chief pilot of the Zambia Flying Doctors
Services as well as three other people in the remote and inacces-
sible Luano Valley. Inspector general of police, Francis Kabonde,
said the team which was sent to track down the trio would soon
arrest them (Sunday Times).
Bizar rape
Police in Mazabuka have arrested a 24-year-old man of Kapufi
compound for raping a bedridden AIDS patient. Mazabuka po-
lice commanding officer Lizzy Machina and Southern Province
police commanding officer Lemmy Kajoba confirmed that Elvis
Haanyinde raped Lillian Hikate, 23, leaving her in a critical con-
dition. Lillian’s sister, Linda, disclosed that Lillian, who was on
antiretroviral therapy, was then admitted to Mazabuka District
Hospital and died later in the night. Haanyinde said he commit-
ted the act under the influence of alcohol and did not realise what
he was doing. He was detained at Mazabuka Police Station to
appear in court (Post 12).
Zambia Weekly
Week 32, Volume 1, Issue 18, 13 August 2010
Zambia Weekly is a free e-zine that extracts the news you really need
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