President Hakainde Hichilema has suspended High Court Judge Timothy Katenekwa with immediate effect.
HH FIRES JUDGE KATENEKWA
MINEWORKER UNIONS DESCRIBE 2023 AS DIFFICULT FOR MOST MINE WORKERS
By Michael Kaluba
Three Mineworker Unions have described the year 2023 as difficult for employees due to various factors including fatalities resulting from mining accidents, redundancies and forced leave among others.
The unions, among them, the mineworker’s union of Zambia-MUZ-, the United Mineworkers’ Union of Zambia-UMUZ- and the Nation Union of Miners and Allied Workers-numaw-, are hopeful that 2024 will present fewer challenges, more jobs and a safer working environment in the mines.
In an interview with Phoenix News, NUMAW President Saul Simujika said the situation at both Mopani and Konkola Copper Mines seems to have eased the anxieties of the workers whose jobs were hanging in the balance.
And MUZ President Joseph Chewe has challenged the mines safety department and the respective mine owners, to prioritize safety following fatalities of over 16 this year alone resulting from mine accidents.
Meanwhile, UMUZ General Secretary Yossum Nyirongo says in 2023, some mines offered low increments to salaries and wages for unionized workers in the range of 8 percent.
PHOENIX NEWS
CSPR PREDICTS ZAMBIA’S FOOD SECURITY WILL DETERIORATE FURTHER NEXT YEAR.
By Michael Kaluba
The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) has predicted that zambia’s food security will deteriorate further next year owing to the current sporadic rainfall especially that the hunger hit western and southern provinces have not yet received much rains this season.
CSPR Programs Coordinator, Chimuka Nchibinda is concerned that the hunger situation will only get worse next year if government does not ensure farmers under the farmer input support program (FISP) are provided with a diversified seed range particularly those that are drought resistant.
Mr. Nchibinda notes that Zambia cannot continue to offer handouts especially that the current exercise in hunger hit areas has shown government’s inadequacy to amicably feed those affected.
he said the rationing of 12.5kg bags of mealie meal to families of 5 is inadequate and a sign that the below average rainfall projected for the current rainy season calls for strategic measures to ensure the country does not plunge into a serious food crisis next year.
the latest global agricultural geo-monitoring initiative special report on the southern African 2019-2020 cropping season shows another drought is envisaged in the region and will worsen the region’s food security position with over 2.4 million Zambians already affected by the hunger situation in the western and southern parts of the country that resulted from flash droughts from the last rainy season.
PHOENIX NEWS – 10.12.2019
COST OF LIVING TO CONTINUE GOING UP DUE TO WEAK KWACHA.
By Michael Kaluba
The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection –JCTR- has urged government to put in place measures that will stop any further depreciation of the kwacha against major convertible currencies.
JCTR Social and Economic Affairs Manager Innocent Ndashe says the continued depreciation of the kwacha is not good for Zambia’s economy and is likely to push the cost of living higher as it can trigger an increase in cost of fuel pump prices.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mr. Ndashe explained that the weakened kwacha has continued pushing the cost of various basic needs to record highs, a situation he says has adverse effects on the already overburdened Zambians.
PHOENIX FM NEWS – 29.11.2019
FAILURE TO SECURE DEAL BETWEEN ZESCO AND CEC HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PLUNGE THE ENTIRE COPPERBELT INTO DARKNESS BY MARCH NEXT YEAR.
By Michael kaluba
Copperbelt Energy Corporation-CEC- chief executive officer Owen silavwe has warned that failure to secure a deal between zesco and his company in a bulk supply agreement will plunge the entire copperbelt province including the mines into darkness by March 2020.
Mr silavwe whose company owns the infrastructure that zesco uses to distribute power to the entire copperbelt has told journalists in Kitwe that there is need to quickly find a solution between zesco and CEC for the 20 year long power bulk supply agreement that was signed in 2000 and will come to an end in march 2020.
The CEC chief executive officer has stressed that failure by the two parties to reach an agreement and extend the bulk supply agreement beyond march 2020 will cripple the country’s economy which is mainly driven by the copperbelt with the mines providing the biggest chunk of forex and revenue for Zambia.
He has however assured mining firms that are supplied by CEC that they would not be affected as the company has contingencies through its membership of the southern African power pool where it would draw electricity from.
CEC owns transmission and distribution lines worth us$500 million that the DRC and other power utilities within southern Africa use to move power in the region with zesco also using the CEC lines to supply electricity to all its commercial and domestic customers on the copperbelt province and would need in excess of us$1 billion to put up a distribution and transmission network of its own.
Meanwhile, Green Party leader Peter Sinkamba has accused ZESCO Limited of playing games with the Bulk Supply Agreement (BSA) negotiations that are on-going with the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC).
Mr. Sinkamba has since called on government through the ministry of Energy to intervene in the matter between ZESCO Limited and the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) over the Agreement which comes to an end in March 2020 before a crisis ensues further calling on the parties involved in the negotiations to quickly resolve all the underlying issues and reach an agreement.
Mr. Sinkamba told phoenix news in an interview that ZESCO must remain cognizant that while the power utility is in no position to build its own distribution and supply infrastructure, CEC can generate power from its alternative sources and has the capacity to import power from other utilities to supply its clients.
He added that government must be proactive in ensuring the Bulk Supply Agreement is settled amicably instead of folding their arms until the Copperbelt province and the mining sector experience the consequences of having no agreement in place before decisively dealing with the matter.
The green party leader further expressed worry over the agreement negotiations that have allegedly stalled despite the agenda of the contents coming from government in 2000 when the deal was initially signed.
PHOENIX NEWS – 28.11.2019
NUCW PRESIDENT WELCOMES DISSOLUTION OF THE ZAMPOST BOARD.
By Michael Kaluba & Prudence Siabana.
The National Union for Communication Workers has welcomed the dissolving of the Zambia Postal Services –ZAMPOST- board by the Ministry of Transport And Communications.
In an interview with Phoenix News, union president David Kasongo says the dissolution is long overdue as the board became inactive in addressing the plight of ZAMPOST workers.
Mr Kasongo says the union looks forward to a board that will prioritize the plight of employees and be able to solve and bring out solutions to challenges they are facing of delayed payment of salaries.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kasongo says there is need for the Ministry of Transport and Communication to ensure responsible individuals are appointed to the incoming boards of ZICTA and ZAMPOST to ensure that the challenges affecting the two institutions are dealt with firmly.
PHOENIX FM NEWS – 27.11.2019
GOVERNMENT’S PLANS TO FORMALIZE OPERATIONS OF ILLEGAL MINERS ON THE COPPERBELT WELCOMED.
By Michael Kaluba
The Small-Scale Miners Association of Zambia has welcomed government’s decision to start the process of formalizing the production of minerals among illegal miners on the copperbelt.
Association President Samuel Mpembwe has told phoenix news that small scale miners have been lobbying for formalization for a long time, therefore any efforts aimed at formalizing illegal mining will significantly help as they will now be able to contribute to the national treasury through tax.
He has since requested for empowerment of the miners in form of equipment, registration and training on standard mining practices to ensure the safety of the lives of the small-scale miners.
Vice President Inonge wina recently disclosed that government is looking at ways of supporting the illegal miners by formalizing their activities through cooperatives under the industrial development corporation (IDC).
PHOENIX NEWS – 26.11.2019
NBA INTERCEPTS TRUCK FROM SOUTH AFRICA LADEN WITH SUSPECTED GMO MEALIE MEAL.
By Michael Kaluba
The National Bio-Safety Authority (NBA) has intercepted a truck from South Africa laden with suspected genetically modified (GMO) mealie meal believed to be in transit to the democratic republic of Congo.
A joint operation by the national bio-safety authority (NBA), the Zambia compulsory standards agency and environmental health inspectors intercepted the truck today at kazungula borer post and took samples from the suspected GMO mealie meal.
National Bio-safety Authority Communications Officer Sandra Lombe has told phoenix news that 400 more trucks each with about 1360 by 25 kg bags of such mealie meal are expected to transit through Zambia to the DRC and will be escorted out of the country since no impact assessment has been done on the products.
Ms. Lombe stated that some of the bags are clearly labelled as GMO mealie meal while others are not prompting officers to collect samples from all 4 different types of packaged mealie meal bags on the truck.
PHOENIX NEWS – 26.11.2019
MORE POLLUTION DISASTERS UNEARTHED AT KCM.
By Michael Kaluba
Disasters have continued arising from Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) after a tour conducted by Nkana water supply and sanitation company today unearthed a persistent pollution problem by the mining firm on the Mwambashi dam in Kalulishi barely days after more than 200 people were affected by excess emissions of sulphur dioxide in Chingola.
the Mwambashi dam that supplies water to residents in Garneton area of Kitwe and Kalulushi, has been consistently polluted by KCM this year forcing Nkana water to incur huge costs to pump over 500 cubic litres of water from the nearby Chati stream and by-pass the dam contaminated by KCM.
A senior official from Nkana Water revealed to phoenix news that Mwambashi dam has been subject to massive sulphur pollution by KCM with the latest incident happening last week prompting the water utility to report the incident to zema.
The impeccable source also stated that talks between Nkana water and KCM have yielded no positive results leaving the water utility without a tangible way forward on the matter.
KCM was earlier this year placed under liquidation and is currently under the provisional liquidator Milingo lungu but has since not been shy of operational challenges and environmental issues including the pollution that recently suffocated over 200 people in Chingola.
PHOENIX NEWS – 22.11.2019
85 WORKERS AT KITWE BASED MINERAL WATER PRODUCER SENT ON FORCED LEAVE DUE TO ZESCO LOAD SHEDDING.
By Michael Kaluba
Vital Beverages Limited in Kitwe District of the Copperbelt has sent 85 of its employees on forced leave due to the impact of load shedding on the company’s production levels.
Company Chief Executive Officer Philip Varuadocous has revealed to phoenix news in Kitwe that his water treatment plant and allied activities are only supplied power for 6 hours per day forcing them to use over 30, 000 litres of diesel per month.
Mr Varuadocous says vital beverages limited was forced to send the 85 workers on forced leave because of the effects that load shedding has on the business which has seen production drastically reduce from the normal 10, 000 cases per day to half of the normal quantity.
He added that power challenges will continue to worsen the already existing high unemployment levels because more people will be out of employment as there will be nothing for them to do at their workplaces especially with extended power outages.
Zambia has continued to suffer massive load shedding of more than 15 hours per day due to power deficits standing at approximately 850 megawatts which has affected various industries and businesses.
PHOENIX NEWS – 22.11.2019
Michael Mwila Kaluba 