Women turn out enmasse for cancer tests

August 15, 2012 | Filed under: Local News | Posted by: web editor

By ALEX NJOVU
THE Kitwe District Health Management Team (KDHMT) is happy with the increase in the number of women seeking cervical cancer screening services at Ndeke clinic.
Kitwe district medical officer Chikafuna Banda said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that Government plans to open another cancer screening centre in the district because of the good response from women.
“We are happy with the response we are receiving from women, some come for cervical cancer screening from outside Kitwe, which is a good thing,” Dr Banda said.
He said Ndeke clinic often has long queues of women seeking cancer screening services.
“We are able to treat minor cases while complex ones are referred to big hospitals but what is encouraging is the zeal shown by the community.
“We are not yet there but we can see that most of our women want to find out whether they have cervical cancer or not, we have long queues on a daily basis and this is why we want to open another centre,” Dr Banda said.
He commended Government for embarking on a cervical cancer sensitisation programme.
“The fact that we are able to screen women from outside Kitwe means people are willing to have themselves checked. We thank Government and its partners for providing vital information about cervical cancer,” Dr Banda said.
And a check at Ndeke clinic yesterday found a long queue of women seeking cervical cancer screening services.
One of the women, Catherine Kamuti, said she had travelled from Chingola to be screened.
“I was ready to travel to Lusaka if need be just to be screened for cervical cancer. I have five children and it is important for me to know whether I have cervical cancer or not.
There is so much information about cancer now and no-one needs to die from it when they can get help,” Mrs Kamuti said.
She encouraged women to go for regular checks for cervical cancer.

Mufulira mothers deserted by ‘shebeen’ hubbies

August 9, 2012 | Filed under: Featured Stories | Posted by: web editor

By ALEX NJOVU
MUFULIRA district commissioner Beatrice Mithi says some women in Kankoyo are allegedly stranded after being abandoned by their husbands who patronise illegal bars, commonly known as shebeens, where they watch pornographic movies with suspected prostitutes.
Ms Mithi said in an interview in Mufulira on Tuesday that her office is overwhelmed with reports of women being stranded with their children after being abandoned by their shebeen-patronising husbands.
“I have been receiving these reports for the past three weeks. A good number of our women are stranded in Kankoyo with their children after being deserted by their husbands,” she said.
Ms Mithi described the situation as worrying and called on the police to move in and arrest owners of illegal bars in the sprawling township.
“What is going on in Kankoyo township is worrying and there is need for the police to move in and arrest the people who own illegal bars. We cannot have a situation where our women are being left by their husbands because of what goes on at the shebeens,” she said.
Ms Mithi also said the local authority should demolish illegal structures that are being used as bars in Kankoyo.
And a Daily Mail crew that visited Kankoyo on Tuesday to have an on-the-spot check on shebeens was warned by some patrons and shebeen owners against interfering in their activities.
“We know all our customers and in any case you don’t drink beer. We know those who drink our beer. What do you want and where are you coming from? Please just leave in peace,” a male patron, who only identified himself as Bwasi, said.
Patriotic Front Mpelembe ward councillor Chilufya Chomba also cautioned the crew against gathering information from people at shebeens because most of them are violent.
“We cannot even escort you to the shebeens, they can burn us alive. Our homes can be burnt; don’t go there, it is very dangerous. Most of these people are violent. They can do anything just to protect their illegal business,” Mr Chomba said.
Last week, Mr Chomba expressed concern at the number of shebeens mushrooming in Kankoyo which allegedly host prostitutes and school-going children and allow them to watch pornographic movies with adult patrons.

NGO castigates Zambians harbouring ex-DRC combatants

August 7, 2012 | Filed under: Local News | Posted by: web editor

By ALEX NJOVU
REAL Life Matters Zambia, an organisation which looks into the plight of vulnerable children in society, has castigated some Zambians allegedly harbouring suspected former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) soldiers who are reportedly terrorising small-scale farmers in Mufulira’s Mupena farming settlement and are marrying Zambian schoolchildren, some as young as nine years old.
Mupena Middle Basic School head teacher Douglas Chama last week revealed that 10 pupils from the school have already been married off and taken to DRC and that the female pupils’ population at the learning institution is reducing at a fast rate.
Real Life Matters Zambia national co-ordinator Tina Banda said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that it is inhuman to marry off girls who are as young as nine years old.
Ms Banda called on Zambians living in border towns of the country to desist from harbouring foreigners who perpetrate criminal activities in various communities.
“We are saddened to hear that school pupils, some as young as nine and 10 years old, are being married by suspected former soldiers from DRC. We are told they are taken to DRC. What can a nine-year-old girl do in a marriage? This is inhuman and the trend must be stopped immediately,” she said.
Ms Banda urged parents and guardians in Mupena farming settlement to stop marrying off their children at a tender age.
Ms Banda said her organisation will soon start sensitising people in the area on the dangers of marrying off their children at tender ages.
“We must not keep foreigners in our homes who don’t have proper documentation to stay in our country. These are the people who end up committing serious crimes against our own people.
“What is happening in Mupena area in Muflira is worrying. Women are being raped and beaten by these suspected foreigners from DRC,” she said.
Ms Banda said there is need for communities in the area to work hand in hand with the security wings in reducing criminal activities in Mupena settlement.
She commended the police command on the Copperbelt for assuring the public that a checkpoint will be opened this week in Mupena to curb crime.
Copperbelt police commissioner Mary Tembo last week held a meeting in the area where she was told by the villagers that suspected former soldiers from DRC were allegedly terrorising small-scale farmers in Mupena farming settlement and were marrying Zambian schoolchildren.
Mupena settlement is located about 28 kilometres south of Mufulira central business district.
Ms Tembo assured the residents that police will enhance security in the area.
She said it is unfortunate that the farmers have abandoned their fields in Mpepamu, about seven kilometres from the DRC, for fear of being attacked.

Support cultural tourism

By ALEX NJOVU

MINISTER of Tourism and Arts Sylvia Masebo has called on various stakeholders to support Government’s efforts to develop cultural tourism.
Ms Masebo was speaking during a fundraising dinner dance for the Copperbelt Likumbi Lya Mize organising committee in Kitwe over weekend.
She said Zambia will have an opportunity to show-case her rich culture such as performances of the makishi dance during the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general conference that will be co-hosted by Zambia and Zimbabwe in August next year.
She said it is important for various stakeholders to continue working with Government in promoting cultural tourism.
In a speech read for her by Copperbelt Minister Mwenye Musenge, Ms Masebo said cultural tourism has the potential to positively contribute to employment creation.
Ms Masebo said Government is committed to promoting cultural tourism throughout the country.
“The sector has the potential to create jobs for Zambians once it is fully supported and as Government, we are committed to ensuring that it is fully supported,” she said.
The minister reiterated that Government is focused on creating job opportunities for Zambians.
And Copperbelt Likumbi Lya Mize organising committee chairman Patrick Muswenyesa said traditional ceremonies play an important role in the development of the tourism sector.
Mr Muswenyesa said tourism should be promoted as it contributes to the development of the country.
“Traditional ceremonies are important because they attract tourists and they help a lot in developing the country,” he said.

Renegade ex-DRC soldiers marry pupils

August 4, 2012 | Filed under: Local News | Posted by: web editor

By ALEX NJOVU
SUSPECTED former soldiers from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are allegedly terrorising small-scale farmers in Mufulira’sMupena farming settlement and are marrying Zambian schoolchildren, some as young as nine years old.
And 10 girls from Mupena Basic School, 28 kilometres from the Mufulira central business district, have been married off by their parents and taken to the DRC.
This came to light when Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary Temboaddressed residents of Mupena village in Mufuliraon Thursday.
MsTembo assured the residents that police will enhance security in the area.
MsTembo said it is unfortunate that the farmers have abandoned their fields in Mpepamu, about seven kilometres from the DRC, for fear of being attacked.
“Some Zambians are working with people from DRC to attack our people in this area. The people are attacked, beaten and they have since abandoned their farms for fear of being attacked.  Sometimes they are attacked during the day because these criminals move with guns,” MsTembo said.
She said police will soon put in place a checkpoint to enhance security in the area.
“It is sad that girls as young as nine and 10 years are married off and taken to the DRC. This is bad and it must stop forthwith. These girls are future leaders, if my father had married me off at a tender age, today I was not going to be the Copperbelt commissioner of police,” MsTembo said.
She urged the residents to desist from harbouring criminals.
“I am assuring you that by next week, we will bring the police here (Mupena). The vehicles that are being stolen from various parts of the Copperbelt use Mupena road and we want to ensure that all criminal activities are stopped,” MsTembo said.
And Mupena community chairperson Gideon Mwanza said residents are allegedly attacked and women raped by the criminals.
“We are attacked at any time and our women are raped because these people come with dangerous weapons. Not too long ago, they damaged Mupenaschool and the clinic,” MrMwanza said.
Mupena Basic School head teacher Douglas Chama told MsTembo that the number of girls at his school is reducing and pleaded with parents not to connive with Congolese nationals to marry off their children.
He said 10 pupils from his school as young as nine years old have been married off and taken into the DRC.
Ms Alice Mwamba, a resident, also said many women and children are being attacked by armed criminals.
“These criminals are former soldiers, sometimes we run in the bush for fear of being killed,” Ms Mwamba  said.

CB police warn shebeen queens

August 2, 2012 | Filed under: Local News | Posted by: web editor

By ALEX NJOVU
COPPERBELT commissioner of police Mary Tembo has directed the police command in Mufulira to arrest individuals running shebeens in Kankoyo.
On Tuesday Patriotic Front (PF) Mpelembe ward councillor Chilufya Chomba expressed concern about the mushrooming of illicit drinking places in Kankoyo ,which are allegedly hosting school children and allowing them to watch pornographic movies with adult patrons.
Ms Tembo said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that police will soon conduct an operation to deal with the owners of the shebeens.
“Today (yesterday) I am holding a meeting with district police commanding officers in Ndola and I will bring the matter up. We are going to arrest the people for running these illegal bars and flouting the law by not paying revenue to Government,” Ms Tembo said.
She assured Mufulira residents that police will soon arrest individuals allowing school children to watch pornographic movies and urged the police to work with the municipality to urgently resolve the problem of shebeens.
“It is sad that the people who are running illegal bars are even showing pornographic movies to young patrons who are supposed to be their children. They are allowing school children to take beer, instead of rebuking them and advising them to go to school.
Our friendly advice is that they should find something better to do with their lives instead of engaging in illegal activities otherwise, we will not rest until they are arrested,” Ms Tembo said.
She also called on youths to desist from engaging in activities that can ruin their lives and thanked councillors and Copperbelt residents for supporting the police to fight crime.

ZABF wrangles deepen as GS is summoned

• Wednesday, August 01, 2012

July 24, 2012 | Filed under: Sport | Posted by: web editor

By ALEX NJOVU
Rifts in the Zambia Amateur Boxing Federation (ZABF) have continued with the general secretary, Bright Chomba, now being summoned to appear before a disciplinary committee for allegedly undermining the executive.
But Chomba said in an interview yesterday in Chililabombwe that no-one will force him to resign from the ZABF and that he is committed to developing the sport in the country.
ZABF president Thomas Chileshe says in a letter dated July 23, 2012 to the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ), and made available to the Daily Mail in Kitwe yesterday, that Chomba is allegedly working against all the ZABF programmes.
“The Zambia Amateur Boxing Federation convened a meeting at Nyaka Lodge in Kabwe on 21st July 2012 to address the state of affairs of the secretariat office.  The executive committee members passed a resolution to summon the general secretary to the disciplinary committee against his casual conduct of trying to undermine the rest of the executive members,” Chileshe said.
He said Chomba has also been charged for allegedly failing to submit the credentials for an under-20 Zone Six tournament.
“We came to learn also from the media that he privately assigned himself a trip to London for the Olympics as a manager without the knowledge of any member of the ZABF executive committee which prompted national Olympic committee general secretary Hazel Kennedy to drop him from the delegation list because of bad office ethics,” he said.
Chileshe also said that Chomba allegedly misapplied K750,000 affiliation fee from Central Province clubs.
He also accused Chomba of working with suspended boxing bodies to frustrate ZABF.
Chileshe has since advised the NSCZ to send all its correspondence to ZABF through the federation’s deputy general secretary Caesar Musuka.
And Mr Musuka said in an interview from Ndola that Chomba is allegedly frustrating the federation’s efforts to develop the sport.
Chomba said yesterday that no-one will force him to resign from the federation.
Chomba said it is not true that he is frustrating the executive and the federation’s programmes.
“It is not true that I misapplied the K750,000 from Central Province.  In fact I gave Chileshe K500,000 while the K250,000 was used on logistics when we had a meeting in Lusaka.
“All these allegations against me are not true and my relationship with the executive members is cordial,” Chomba said.
He said he stayed away from the weekend meeting in Kabwe because some members were not invited.

Embrace extended family members , State

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• Wednesday, August 01, 2012

July 17, 2012 | Filed under: Local News | Posted by: web editor

By ALEX NJOVU
DEPUTY Minister of Labour and Social Security Rayford Mbulu has urged Zambians to embrace extended family members to avoid the influx of street Children in the country.
Mr Mbulu who is Kalulushi member of Parliament was speaking over the weekend during a dinner dance for Day-Spring Church Ministries at Edinburgh Hotel in Kitwe.
“Some of the street kids we have around have their relatives who are comfortable in life. It is important that we embrace extended family members to avoid the increase of street kids in the country,” he said.
Mr Mbulu said it is unfortunate that some Zambians have abandoned their culture which encourages them to keep extended family members.
He called for concerted efforts in addressing various challenges facing young people in the country.
Mr Mbulu also commended the church for the role it has continued to play in the economic and social development of the country.
He said the church has continued to implement viable projects that benefit the people.
Mr Mbulu thanked Day-Spring Ministries for working towards empowering vulnerable children in society.
He was happy to learn that the church is taking care of over 50 orphans and vulnerable children.
And Day-Spring street life project co-ordinator Lily Mwila said the church will continue to work with various stakeholders including Government in finding solutions to problems facing youths in the country.
Pastor Mwila said her church is committed to coming up with projects that benefit orphans and vulnerable children in society.
“We have a home for the vulnerable children in Luangwa township in Kitwe.
We are taking care of over 50 vulnerable children and we will continue working with Government in ensuring that youths who are the future leaders of the country, are given hope by taking them to school,” Pastor Mwila said.

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Australian companies eye Lufwanyama emeralds

• Wednesday, August 01, 2012

 

July 24, 2012 | Filed under: Local News | Posted by: web editor

By ALEX NJOVU
FIVE Australian companies have expressed interest in investing in emerald mining in Lufwanyama at a cost of about US$ 20 million.
The investors’ representatives held a meeting at Chief Nkana’s palace on Sunday where they discussed various issues regarding their interest in emerald mining in Lufwanyama.
Emerald Production Watch of Zambia president Musa Kafimbwa said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that over 5,000 jobs are expected to be created for the local people once the Australian firms start operating.
“Five investors from Australia have expressed interest in investing in emerald mining in Lufwanyama and on Sunday, we held a meeting with them at Chief Nkana’s palace where a lot of issues were discussed,” he said.
Mr Kafimbwa said the investors have indicated that they may start their operations within the course of this year.
He said his association is working with government and other stakeholders in attracting investors that will help to develop the emerald-rich district.
Mr Kafimbwa said it is important that Zambians benefit from the emerald being mined in Lufwanyama.
Mr Kafimbwa also said traditional rulers are happy with the various developmental activities taking place in Lufwanyama.
He said the ongoing re-construction of the Kalulushi- Kalengwe road will help in attracting world-class investors.
Mr Kafimbwa said the emerald sector has the potential to positively contribute to the development process of the country if it is fully supported.
And some Lufwanyama residents said the coming of new investors in Lufwanyama will help to eradicate poverty in various communities in the area.
Doris Besa of Chief Lupuma said it is encouraging that government is working with various stakeholders in bringing investors that will help to create job opportunities for Zambians.
And John Kangwa of Chief Nkana said many young people will be employed in the mines once the Australian investors start their operations.
“We are very happy with the coming of investors in Lufwanyama. We are aware that some Australian investors held a meeting with Chief Nkana on Sunday. It is important that as a country, we continue attracting investors. It is also important that as these investors come in, local people benefit from what God gave us,” Mr Kangwa said.