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By Yaadika N Chama,

MMD National Secretary - Katele Kalumba

MMD National Secretary Katele Kalumba yesterday said he will first consider his family and health before he decides to defend his party position because he has suffered a lot over the last 10 years.

This was when asked if he would recontest the position of National Secretary.

Kalumba said whoever will be elected President at the MMD convention will not be an automatic Republican Presidential Candidate for the party.

He said the MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) had endorsed President Rupiah Banda as the Party’s Republican Presidential candidate.

Kalumba said the Party President must be elected by the convention and NEC would present its recommendation on President Banda to the convention.

He said rules would guide the convention on how to handle the two positions, Party and Republican Presidencies. Kalumba said the convention previously elected President Levy Mwanawasa and endorsed him as Party Presidential Candidate. In 2001 they elected President Chiluba as Party President but they left open the candidature of the Republican Presidency.

He said the convention is the supreme organ, but it has to receive the decisions of NEC because NEC acts on behalf of the convention in between conventions.

The convention will have to act very violently against its own body by removing the powers it gives it between conventions. He asked aspiring candidates in the MMD to stop campaigning until the party issued directives for them to start doing so.

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By Yaadika N Chama,

Patriotic Front Leader - Michael Sata

Patriotic Front Leader Michael Sata charged that Vice President George Kunda will be answerable for paying K 5 billion to ministers and other Lusaka based Parliamentarians attending the National Constitutional Conference (NCC), Zambian Chronicle has learned.

Sata said he had been vindicated that the NCC was a money making venture for the delegates. Mr. Sata noted that it’s surprising because it was George Kunda who advised the late President Levy Mwanawasa SC that Ministers and Deputy Ministers do not need subsistence allowances and hence he did not circulate the memorandum.

He said the Members of Parliament have already received the money and they are not receiving it through the NCC, they are receiving it through their banks.

The Patriotic Front President stated that if we take a delegation of 600 people at K750, 000 the NCC is spending more than K 600 million a day for producing a clause like “The Presidential candidate must have a degree”. Sata said Vice President Kunda was dismantling the legacy the Late President Mwanawasa tirelessly worked to build.

He said that K5 billion can be used on cleaning drainages around the City of Lusaka and provide hospitals and a number of things people of Zambia need and also subsidise fuel. Sata warned the MMD government leaders of prosecution when he gets into office.

He urged the Zambian people to kick MMD and its government out of office. He further said that there was no justification for the high allowances being plundered from tax payers coffers.

Mr. Sata charged that the MMD were a bunch of plunderers and should he ascend to power they will be answerable for the plunder because laws are still much there for those abusing their office.

Copyright © 2007 -2010 Zambian Chronicle. All Rights Reserved

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By Yaadika N Chama,

Zambia National Team Coach - Herve Renard

The Zambia National Soccer Team Coach Herve Renard said he would love to be part of the 2010 World Cup because it was a fantastic opportunity Zambian Chronicle has learned.

During a press briefing at Football House Renard said he had an obligation to Zambia up to May 2010.

He further mentioned that there is an important thing going on in 2010 which was the World Cup in Africa and his dream had been to coach of any team going to the World Cup.

“Just like the Egyptian Coach was saying he won 3 Africa Cups with Egypt but now his dream is the World Cup”, Renard remarked.

Renard revealed that he had received invitations from two World Cup teams and was currently reviewing their term and if they turned out attractive, he would let the media and the Zambian public know what his decision will be.

He added that the 2010 World Cup was a fantastic thing and that he had always wanted to be a part of that dream even if it meant being criticed by the People of Zambia.

“When you have a chance to be part of such an event it is difficult to refuse … I have talked with a few countries but talking is not signing”, he revealed. But then went on to say that although he had received offers from other countries who were impressed with his work, there was nothing concrete yet.

Asked whether he would renew his contract when it expires in May, Renard said it would depend on negotiations with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).

“At the moment we have not talked about the new contract with FAZ, right now I have a contract up to May but after that I don’t know. Any invitation I will inform my President (Kalusha Bwalya)”

He further said he fought hard to travel with his technical team to Africa Cup of Nations amidst interference and also expressed shock that influential midfielder Rainford Kalaba had signed for Egyptian giants Zameleck.

And FAZ spokesperson Erick Mwanza said there was a general feeling Renard would stay in his job.

In a related story, Football Administrator Simataa Simataa said Chipolopolo Coach Herve Renard has not behaved correctly by talking to other countries after assurances from Republican President Rupiah Banda about his future.

Simataa said Renard should have considered the Presidents offer even in the face of adverse criticism from the media and public. He said it was unfortunate that Renard had violated the FAZ Constitution provision of being answerable to the Technical Committee which is answerable to FAZ Executive Committee. Unfortunately the coach is only answerable to FAZ.

And FAZ Vice President Emmanuel Munaile yesterday differed with Chipolopolo Coach Herve Renard on staff appointments to the technical bench. Munaile said technical committee had the constitutional mandate to appoint members of the National Team Technical Bench.

During a briefing at Football House Renard said he would not accept any changes to the Technical bench should he continue as Zambian Coach. Article 33:2(XIV) of the FAZ constitution on the duties of the Technical Committee states to be responsible for the selection of the National Team Managers, Coaches, Doctors and other such officials for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

Renard told a media briefing that he would not accept changes to the technical bench saying his assistant George Lwandamina and Physical Trainer Patrice Beaumelle had done a good job. Prior to the Africa Cup, Munaile announced at a FAZ press briefing that there would be changes to the technical bench with suggestions from the technical committee revealing Renard was to go on forced leave following a poor qualifying record, the worst in the history of the country. Munaile also said there would be interference unless the committee imposed players on Renard.

Renard is rumoured to having plans with moves to Nigeria, Cameroon and Morocco among other destinations.

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For Immediate Release

CTO-CANTO MOBILE CONTENT AND VAS WORKSHOP EQUIPS CARIBBEAN OPERATORS TO FACE FUTURE CHALLENGES

Operators and ICT stakeholders take advantage of a two day workshop, organised by the CTO and CANTO, to draw on key learnings and focus on the actions they must take to release the power and potential of mobile content and VAS in the Caribbean.

LONDON, February 4, 2010 – Operators and ICT stakeholders in the Caribbean region are now better prepared to implement various initiatives in content development and value-added service applications as a result of a just-ended two-day workshop, organised by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organizations  (CANTO). The two organisations joined forces to deliver a comprehensive  M-Content and Value Added Services (VAS) training workshop in Georgetown, Guyana, on the 2^nd and 3^rd of February 2010. The workshop, which was focused on the needs of the Caribbean mobile operators and other ICT stakeholders in the region, provided invaluable insights to the profitable opportunities  for  developing  non-voice services, such as Mobile Content and Value Added Services (VAS), as well as the challenges posed for such new initiatives.

The workshop provided more than forty-five participants from the Caribbean the opportunity to work with CTO experts and examine key issues on the state of Mobile Content and VAS in the region. The training touched on key topics that included the development of mobile content and web 2.0, the challenges and opportunities posed by Mobile Financial Services (MFS) such as m-banking, and the use of mobile telephony as a tool to catalyse increased internet penetration.

Speaking at the workshop, Ms. Regenie Fraser, Secretary-General of CANTO, said that she was pleased that the CTO and CANTO were able to effectively collaborate and deliver the cutting edge workshop to the stakeholders in the Caribbean. She added that for many CANTO members “the development of Mobile Content and VAS is a critical concern.  This workshop, like all CANTO and CTO initiatives, aimed to meet the most important and pressing needs of our members in the region.”

Remarking on the success of the workshop built on the CTO’s and CANTO’s previous collaborations, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, CEO of the CTO, said, “The workshop is in continuum with CTO’s recent research projects and training activities that have highlighted the importance of Mobile Content and VAS for the advancement of the ICT industry and the socio-economic development of the Commonwealth. The increasing use of mobile applications that have a positive impact on the livelihoods of people in less developed countries, must be our focus.  Thankfully, the tools to leverage the power of such applications are being put in place; mobile handsets are falling in price, networks have more capacity than ever before and applications are developing at a phenomenal rate.  We have to now focus on getting more and more people to develop and use these potentially life-changing tools. Such collaborative workshops aim to equip participants with extra knowledge and skills.”

Falling average revenue per user from voice services, increasingly sophisticated and useful mobile content, as well as the development of more sophisticated mobile devices, have led to an increased focus on the development and benefits of M-Content and VAS.

The CTO-CANTO workshop provided great practical value for the participants, by drawing together key learning points on the actions that must be taken in order to release the power and potential of mobile content and VAS in the Caribbean.

The CTO organizes comprehensive workshops and events in the Commonwealth with a focus on the ICT sector. In the coming months the CTO aims to conduct a series of conferences and workshops on rural connectivity that would facilitate building of Public-Private-Peoples Partnerships (PPPPs).

About CANTO

CANTO was founded in 1985 as a non-profit association of telephone operating companies in the Caribbean. In 1999, the Board opened an associate membership class to suppliers, governmental departments and telecommunication consultants. CANTO views its role in the Caribbean telecommunications community as a leader, a policy influencer, an expert (in providing information in all aspects of the industry) and a facilitator (in encouraging dialogue and meaningful collaborative enterprise).

“CANTO’s mission is “working through the sharing of information, providing expertise and coordinating efforts to facilitate the provision of quality telecommunication services for the regional, economical, social and cultural development of the Caribbean.” (www.canto.co.cu)

About CTO

Founded in 1901, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international development partnership between the Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, businesses and civil society organisations. CTO provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

With its headquarters in London and recipient members based in Europe, the Caribbean, Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions, the CTO has been at the centre of continuous and extensive international communications development funding, co-operation and assistance programmes. CTO’s mission is to reduce global poverty through the more efficient utilization of ICTs, and its development agenda reflects the priorities set in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (www.cto.int)

MEDIA CONTACTS

For media enquiries please contact:

Samuel Fletcher

Manager – International Events & Corporate Communications

T: + 44 (0) 208 600 3809

E: s.fletcher@cto.int   

OR

Rumana Bukht

Senior Marketing and Communications Officer 

T: + 44 (0) 208 600 3800

E: r.bukht@cto.int

Copyright © 2007 -2010 Zambian Chronicle. All Rights Reserved

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By Yaadika N Chama,

Zambian Vice President - George Kunda

Vice President and Justice Minister George Kunda has recommended to cabinet to pay about 5 billion kwacha to Lusaka based parliamentarians most of whom are ministers attending the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) as facilitation allowance.

Fifty-five Ministers and their deputies are included such as Deputy Speaker Mutale Nalumango, NCC Chairperson Chifumu Banda and his Deputy Faustina Sinyangwe. Others are Chawama Parliamentarian Violet Sampa – Bredt and Benjamin Mwila.

According to a Cabinet memorandum dated January 2010, Vice President Kunda recommended that cabinet approved payment of utility facilitation allowance to Lusaka based Members of Parliament at the rate of K650, 000 per day backdated to December 19^th 2007 when the NCC started its sittings.

The Vice President said that the matter was very urgent and there was no other option apart from paying the Parliamentarians. He said this was important in order to reduce the apparent gap in remuneration between, the Lusaka based members of parliament and those who reside outside Lusaka. Lusaka based MPs do not receive substance and transport allowances.

Mr Kunda said this gap has reportedly caused discontent among the affected members, the payment of the utility/facilitation allowance is expected to cost tax payers K4, 998,500,000.00.

The consultations were done by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and other stakeholders and the implementation is expected as soon as funds are received. The allowance rate is going to be K650, 000.00 per sitting at the rate of K500, 000.00 per day, transport allowance K100, 000.00 per day and transport refund K50,000.00.

He stated that Lusaka based members of parliament were paid sitting allowance at the rate of K500,000.00 per day and transport K100,000.00 per day  in order to maintain consistency and uniformity. Principal should apply to the payment of allowances to all members of parliament attending the NCC by virtue of being in their positions as members of parliament.

Mr Kunda said due to the urgency of the matter, the memorandum was not circulated to members for comments, and he requested cabinet to authorise the secretary to the cabinet to convey its decision before the confirmation of the minutes.

He stated that currently all parliamentarians  were treated equally under the National Assembly conditions, the constituency allowances is paid to all MPs regardless of whether they have constituencies or not. The same applies to utility allowances which are paid uniformly to all members of parliament.

Further under the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Emoluments Regulation of 2009, Statutory Instrument No. 62 of 2009, Members of Parliament whether nominated or elected, are paid as follows (a) a prescribed salary, (b) a special allowance, (c) utility allowance and (d) a constituency allowance in addition to other allowances such as sitting allowance, transport allowance and board and lodging, if they were not accommodated at the National Assembly Motel.

 Copyright © 2007 -2010 Zambian Chronicle. All Rights Reserved

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By Yaadika N Chama,

Government has urged called on commercial banks in the country to further reduce their lending rates in order to make finances available to the productive sectors of the economy.

Stanbic Bank Managing Director Joseph Chikolwa

And Stanbic Bank Managing Director Joseph Chikolwa said the agriculture sector needs tailor made products which are going to help improve agriculture production in the country.

He said this during the launch of the Stanbic  Banks Agriculture Banking. He said investing in agriculture is very crucial as it will help farmers growing different types of crops to increase their production.

Most importantly it will help the country meet its food requirements and have enough remain to export to neighbouring countries.

Daka said the agriculture sector needs all the support that it can get from the banking community in order to grow. We are aware of the challenges that farmers are experiencing in accessing loans and we are happy that Stanbic Bank has come up with a product that will help to meet the needs of its clients. He added that farmers had for a long time been crying for affordable long term financing which would allow them to improve their production, makes profits and payback the loans.

And Chikolwa hoped that the product which the bank had introduced, ‘Agriculture Banking’, would help to meet government’s objective of diversifying the economy from mining to agriculture. Meanwhile Standard Bank Head of Agriculture Jack Taylor said the bank had decided to introduce Agriculture Banking because Africa still had the potential to improve and meet the projected food shortage that the world was about to experience in the near future. Africa had land and good wealth to grow enough food for its own requirements and international markets as well. He noted that supply side growth is perceived to be insufficient hence the need to meet the projected food shortage in the near future.

And President Rupiah Banda told the World Bank that Zambia is trying to seek higher interest loan facilities from the Breton Wood  institute to finance the repair of roads damaged by mining activities in the country. Robert Zoellick told  journalist from Africa countries via video conference from Addis Ababa that President Banda was considering borrowing from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development(IRBD) window is done through grants and soft loans.

Zambia currently accesses funding for infrastructural projects from the World Bank through the IDA window. President Banda told Zoellick during a meeting on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) meeting in the Ethiopian Capital that roads leading to mining zones were frequently being damaged due to the intensity of mining activities. Mr. Zoellick said one of the things discussed with President Banda was how we can use IRBD financing which unlike IDA which are grants, it has interest rates but the rates are pretty low to about three to three and half percent. He said the World Bank would allow Zambia to borrow from IBRD window provided the projects to be financed demonstrated direct economic return to be able to use that financing route.

Zoellick said although Zambia’s economy had performed relatively well by registering growth in the midst of the global economic recession, there was need to diversify the economy from meno dependence on copper to other priority areas like agriculture.

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By Yaadika N Chama,

Ministry of Finance and National Planning - HQ

The Auditor General (AG) ‘s office told the parliamentary Public Account Committee (PAC) that the Public Service Commission (PSC)  did not normalise the K70.5million they received from the Global Funds on HIV/AIDS in 2007.

And PAC Chairman Emmanuel Hachipuka said he hoped the committee might not see much of such scenarios because Public Funds could be lost.

During a submission on unconstitutional expenditure accrued by the PSC in the year ending December 31 2009 before PAC, PSC Commission Secretary Girland Safwila apologised to the committee for failure to normalise the HIV/AIDS funds received from the Ministry of Finance citing an oversight for their failure.

Mr. Safwila said he agreed with the observation made by the Auditor General on the alleged unconstitutional expenditure amounting to K33, 074,331.00 during the year under review. He advised that the commission received a sum of K70, 543, 200 from Ministry of Finance and National Planning being payment from Global Funds on HIV/AIDS. He said the funds were credited to the commission’s control despite the institution’s lack of a budget line for such expenditure.

 The alleged over-expenditure of K33, 074, 331.00 therefore arose a net effect of the said funding and some savings appearing under the head  relating to Personal Emoluments (K36, 189,036.00) and commission tours (K649,833.00) respectively. Mr. Safwila said consequently at the end of the financial year the commission was expected to pass an Inter-Departmental Clearance (IDC) voucher to Ministry of Finance and National Planning to normalise the expenditure.

However, Mr. Safwila who was flanked by PSC Chief Accountant David Mushinge said unfortunately this was not done, which was due to an oversight on their part. Mr. Mushinge wished to assure the committee that this anomaly will not arise again as measures have been taken to correct the reporting procedures since them.

And Hachipuka expressed interest in Safwila’s constant usage of the word alleged when talking about the unconstitutional expenditure cited in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year under review. Hacipuka said the unconstitutional expenditure was as a result of an audit query and was therefore genuine.

Safwila withdraw the alleged term and said it was just a misplacement of words. Luena Independent Parliamentarian Charles Milupi said the figures in the submission did not tie up prompting Mushinge to offer a clarification.

And P.F Parliamentarian Alfreda Mwamba said when she read through the report it was like someone was trying to make a very smart step of justifying what was brought up by the audit. Hachipuka complimented Mwambas’ observation that the procedures to raise IDCs was a normal procedure and that there must be trigger mechanism within the PSC system.

Deputy Accountant General Joe Ukwimi said the Global Funds on HIV/AIDS get into the budget through pledges and although they were basically budgeted for under the treasury. Ukiwimi said the recipients were obliged to raise IDCs at the end of the financial year but that PSC did not comply with the requirement.

Copyright © 2007 -2010 Zambian Chronicle. All Rights Reserved

MISS VIRGINIA Caressa Cameron was crowned Miss America 2010 at the Las Vegas’s Theater for Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Saturday.

22 Year Old Caressa Cameron - 2010 Miss America

Miss America 2009 Katie Stam presented the crown to Caressa Cameron.

Miss California Kristy Cavinder named first runner-up while second runner-up honors went to Miss Tennessee Stefanie Wittler.

The third runner-up was Miss Louisiana Katherine Putnam.
 
Caressa Cameron was announced Miss America 2010 by a seven judge jury on the eve of eighty ninth pageant contest.
 
She told people at the event that she has been a student of broadcast journalism and wants to make a career as a television news anchor.
 
Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron won a $50,000 scholarship and the first runner up, Kristy Cavinder, won a $25,000 scholarship.

Cameron is a broadcast journalism student at Virginia Commonwealth University, and wants to become an anchor.

Actor and “Extra” host Mario Lopez hosted the 89-year-old pageant with help from Clinton Kelly of TLC’s “What Not to Wear.”

The panel of judges included radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, actress Vivica Fox, musician Dave Koz, Miss America 2002 Katie Harman and gymnast Shawn Johnson.

Copyright © 2007 -2010 Zambian Chronicle. All Rights Reserved

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News Release                                                                                              Contact:

For Immediate Release                                                                              Jennifer DeSimone

       (202) 673-3916

       Jdesimone@usadf.gov

Media Advisory:

USADF Chairman Jack Leslie’s Op-ed Published on Huffington Post

WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 27, 2010 – The United States African Development Foundation is proud to announce that Chairman Jack Leslie’s op-ed was recently published on the Huffington Post.  The piece entitled “Listen to Ordinary Africa” talks about the agency and the lessons learned while working at the grassroots level in Africa.

You may find the full post here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jack-leslie/listen-to-ordinary-africa_b_433265.html

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Currently USADF operates in 20 African nations.  Over the past 25 years, USADF has funded nearly 1,500 projects representing in excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities.  For more information on USADF, its programs and application guidelines, visit www.usadf.gov.

Copyright © 2007 -2010 Zambian Chronicle. All Rights Reserved

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By Yaadika N Chama,

Former Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) President Fackson Shamenda has observed that the recommendation to include the degree clause in the Constitution is an embarrassment to the country.

He was commenting on the proposal by the National Constitution Conference (NCC) that a Presidential candidate must be a degree holder. He stressed the need to focus on wisdom as opposed to academic qualifications.

Mr. Shamenda said the requirement of a degree holder for presidential candidates did not exist in most of the countries around the world. He said it confirms why certain people did not want to participate in the NCC because the product which is coming out of it will be questionable. He bemoaned the lack of progress in the Constitution making process.

Last week the NCC unanimously adopted the recommendation on which requires a presidential candidate under the Republican Constitution to be a person who holds a First degree. A recommendation that most critics dismissed and stated that it was targeting P.F leader Micheal Sata, who by then was viewed as not holding any degree.

However, P.F Secretary General Wynter Kabimba, who was addressing a workshop for returning officers for the party elections over the weekend, disclosed that Sata meets the requirements set out in the recent NCC recommendation.

Mr. Kabimba explained that the party cannot ignore the NCC’s recommendations in particular the recently reported requirement that a Presidential candidate be a first degree holder.

Copyright © 2007 -2010 Zambian Chronicle. All Rights Reserved