Headlines
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Maize Production Likely to Decrease
Zambia’s decision to cut subsidies on maize and remove a fuel subsidy is likely to hamper output of the staple grain, raise prices and dash its goal of becoming a regional breadbasket. The southern African country reduced a subsidy on fertiliser to 50 percent from 75 percent, so farmers will now pay more for the vital input. The government also halted a practice that saw it buy maize from farmers at inflated prices, which it resold to millers at lower-than-market prices to keep a lid on food inflation. Citing higher subsidy costs, Lusaka said it will now only buy maize …More
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Three Killed on Kitwe-Ndola Highway
Three people have died in a road traffic accident along the Kitwe Ndola dual carriage way. The trio that died who were in a a Toyota Ipsum registration number ACV 3436 included two passengers and a cyclist who got caught up after the car overturned after hitting into a truck. The spectre of accidents in the country has continued with the Road Traffic and Safety Agency seeming at sea with what to do with the almost daily occurrence. On Tuesday two Multi Choice Zambia executives died on the spot on the Kabwe Lusaka Road on their way from Ndola.
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Five Parties Register for Feira Election
Five political parties have successfully filed their nomination for the June 24 Feira parliamentary by-election. The usually quiet constituency was besieged by political activity that saw the five political parties including the Patriotic Front (PF), Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), United Party for National Development (UPND), National Restoration Party (NAREP), and the United National Independence Party (UNIP) confirm their participation in the election. With the largest campaign budget and the full weight of the administration behind him, the PF candidate Patrick Ngoma, who defected from the MMD, is likely to be regarded as a frontrunner. In response, the MMD is …More
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Black Friday Protests to Continue
Civil Society Organizations says they will go ahead with their Black Friday campaign that seeks to press for the reversal of the removal of subsidies by government. A consortium of 11 Civil Society Organizations last week launched the Black Friday campaign that will see the CSOs take the call of wearing black apparel to the streets of Lusaka and the CSOs have said tomorrow will be no different. University of Zambia students have also joined the campaign and say they will mobilize themselves and keep their pressing for the reversal of the removal of subsidies. CSOs spokersperson Guess Nyirenda said …More
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Respect Journalists, Mulongoti Urges PF
People’s Party president Mike Mulongoti has appealed to Patriotic Front government to seriously address the issue of harassment of journalist by party cadres as this might break the relations and respect that media has for politicians. Mulongoti says journalists must be regarded with due respect because they play a vital role of informing the people of what is transpiring in the country. The former information minister says it is unfair for party cadres to continue being violent to journalists who are merely doing their work as was witnessed when Patriotic Front cadres pounced on MMD officials at Lusaka’s City Market …More
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Police Reluctance to Arrest PF ‘Thugs’ Worries SACCORD
The Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) says the police’s reluctance to deal with Patriotic Front induced violence during Tuesday’s fracas in the central business centre is worrying. SACCORD information officer Obby Chibuluma said it was strange that the police was dragging its feet despite the perpetrators of the violence being known. On Tuesday PF youths led by their youth leaders Kennedy Kamba beat MMD members that were waiting for their president Nevers Mumba to take a bus ride into Kanyama Constituency for a tour. PF youths youths descended on them and abducted MMD Die Hard …More
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Police Claim Docket Against PF Cadres Opened
The Zambia Police say they have opened a docket against Patriotic Front cadres that beat up opposition Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) Die Hard Youth chairperson Bowman Lusambo. Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa said the matter will be investigated once Lusambo retained a medical report. Lusambo with his colleague Scorpion Kadobi were manhandled by machete wielding PF cadres as they were waiting for party president Nevers Mumba who was due to take a bus ride from City Market Bus Station on his way to tour Kanyama Constituency. PF cadres that caught wind of the tour descended on Lusambo …More
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Veep Scott in Feira for Nominations
Vice President Guy Scott will be in Feira Constituency is in Feira to witness today’s filing of nominations by ruling Patriotic Front’s candidate Patrick Ngoma. Scott, who has been camped at every by-election with his traditional votes for development message, is expected to tour what the government media termed as ‘developmental projects’ in Luangwa District. However, wherever Scott has been the message has been the building of clinics including the 13 promised to the now forgotten voters of Mufumbwe who are still waiting upon that promise. Five parties have expressed interest in contesting the Feira election that has lined up …More
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Sata Succumbs to Teacher’s Threats
President Michael Sata’s government has backed down on its move to withdraw hardship and double class allowances for teachers after the union leaders threatened industrial action. Zambia National Union of Teachers Secretary General Newman Bubala said the decision to retain the allowances, which were withdrawn as part of President Sata’s sweeping economic changes that has resulted in scrapping off of subsidies across sectors, was arrived at after the four teacher unions met with government. The four unions are ZNUT, Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia, Secondary Schools Teachers Union and Professional Teachers Union of Zambia (PTUZ). Bubala said government had …More
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New York Business Leader Volunteers in Zambia
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, Joseph Mizzi, who is the president of the successful building conglomerate Sciame Construction, has undertaken a number of volunteer development projects to build schools in rural Zambia. This week, he is traveling to Chipakata Village in Zambia for the groundbreaking of Chipakata Children’s Academy, the first project of his 14+ Foundation. How Mr. Mizzi came to taking on the substantial work of building an academy in Zambia is a story of luck. He was at a fundraiser for a charity doing work in Africa and became interested. He went to Zambia …More