We
are all affected by AIDS pandemicLocal News Up-Date, August 7, 2010
NCC urged to extend days for reviewing the draft constitution
By Moombe Hamoobola
A civic leader in Monze District has appealed to the National Constitutional
Conference (NCC) to consider extending the time frame for reviewing the draft constitution.
Ufwenuka ward Councilor, Tenara Mwanakalanga, told Radio Chikuni News that
the time frame given for the people to read and comment on the draft
constitution was not sufficient.
Councilor Mwanakalanga said the draft constitution did not reach the people who are in rural areas.
He said many people in his ward have not even seen a copy of the draft constitution.
Mr Mwanakalanga said every Zambian must be given a chance to read the draft
constitution as it has a bearing on their lives.
He has since advised NCC Chairperson, Chifumu Banda, not to be deceived by
government officials claiming that the draft constitution has reached all
the corners of the country.
Mr Mwanakalanga said the failure by the NCC to translate the draft
constitution into local languages denied people especially in rural areas
the chance to read the draft constitution and react to it.
The Ward councilor warned the NCC against undermining the voice of people in
rural areas adding that they also had the right to present their views like any other Zambian.
Mr Banda launched the NCC draft constitution on June 22 this year and
announced a 40 day period for the public to make comments.
But republican vice president George Kunda recently told parliament that
there will be no extension to the 40- day- period -time frame.
Mr. Kunda explained that since the 40 days time frame to receive comments
from the public was made by Parliament, it can only be changed if it is taken to the House again.
The 40 days review period expired on August 1st, 2010.
Certain Districts did not receive the copies of the draft constitution on
time, hence the call for the extension of the review period.
Peasant farmer nods conservation farming
By Adrey Kaaba
A small scale farmer in Monze District has observed that conservation
farming remains the only hope for many farmers in rural areas, who are
threatened by adverse effects of the changing weather pattern.
Davy Hanamaila says in order to beat the adverse weather; farmers must adapt
their farming methods to suit the prevailing weather conditions.
Mr Hanamaila told Radio Chikuni News Monday that conservation farming is
cheaper and does not lead to environmental degradation.
He says that conservation farming promotes food security as it minimizes the
reliance on fertilizer which is expensive for impoverished rural farmers.
And Mr Hanamaila has advised farmers to practice crop diversification.
He said maize monoculture has worsened the plight of peasant farmers in
rural areas and poses a great threat to household food security as the crop
does not fetch a favourable price on the market.
Maize growing has significantly dominated the agricultural sector in Zambia, as it is the staple food.
A failed maize crop as a result of poor rains usually leads to food shortages in the country.
Monze MP ‘disturbed’ by long distances to voter registration centers
By Moombe Hamoobola
Monze central Member of Parliament (MP) Jack Mwiimbu has bemoaned the long
distances to voter registration centers.
Mr Mwiimbu says people in his constituency walk long distances to the
nearest voter registration centers, a situation he described as sad.
He says a number of people have failed to register as voters due to the long
distances to the registration centers.
Mr Mwiimbu has since appealed to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to
ensure that they take the voter registration exercise closer to the door
steps of people so as to capture as many eligible voters as possible.
And low turn out has characterised the ongoing voter’s registration exercise in Ufwenuka.
An On the spot check conducted by Radio Chikuni News Friday at the Ufwenuka
court registration centre revealed that there were no people queuing up to register.
Our reporter was there for a few hours but no one turned up to register.
The voters’ registration exercise has been marred by reports of low turn out.
ECZ commenced the mobile voter registration exercise on June 21, ahead of the 2011 general poll.
The mobile exercise will last for 90 days.
Chikuni Hospital Commemorates WHO Breast Feeding Week
By Wilbroad Musonda
Chikuni Mission Hospital has joined the rest of the world in commemoration
World Health Organisation (WHO) Breast Feeding Week, with a call on mothers
to continue breast feeding their babies.
This year the focus is on the importance of breast milk in ensuring child
survival to cut on infant mortality.
In a Statement to launch the breast feeding week, WHO reiterated its call
on health workers to implement steps to help mothers breastfeed successfully
and improve their babies’ health and chances of survival.
Clara Muchimba, a mid wife at Chikuni Mission Hospital ,told Radio Chikuni
News Monday that the hospital remains committed to encouraging mothers to
breastfeed their babies so as to protect the infants from common childhood
illnesses as the mothers’ milk contains antibodies that help to fight illness.
According to WHO, Over two thirds of infant deaths, are often associated
with inappropriate feeding practices such as bottle-feeding or untimely and
inadequate complementary foods, which occur during the first five months of life.
Mrs. Muchimba has appealed to mothers to bring their children during the
World Breastfeeding week to Chikuni Mission Hospital so that they get more
information on the importance of natural milk to their babies.
The WHO World Breast feeding Week is commemorated in 170 countries and is
held between 1st and 7th August annually.
Sink more boreholes and maintain existing ones to increase access to clean water
By Nchimunya Mweemba
Chikuni Parish Home Based Care (HBC) Water Coordinator, Gregory Muchindu,
says in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on water
supply, it is important to sink more boreholes and ensure that the existing
ones are maintained.
Mr Muchindu says failure to maintain the existing boreholes will affect the
realization of MDG goal number 7 on water, to halve the proportion of people
without sustainable access to safe water and basic sanitation by 2015.
Water Aid estimates that over 50,000 water points in Africa are not
functional due to lack of maintenance.
Mr Muchindu explained that people in villages where boreholes are sunk must
play a leading role in maintaining the water points so that they outlive
their life span to ensure a sustainable source of clean water.
He also praised the UN for declaring access to clean water a right, saying
it will go a long way in helping to devise a global partnership on increased
access to affordable, sustainable and clean water.
The UN recently declared that access to clean water and sanitation is a fundamental human right.
According to the United Nations, 884m people have no access to safe drinking
water and more than 2.6bn lack access to basic sanitation.
A Headman bemoans high levels of cattle rustling
By Moombe Hamoobola
A village headman in Chief Ufwenuka’s area has bemoaned the increasing
levels of cattle rustling in the area.
Headman Simaamba said in an interview with Radio Chikuni News that the
increasing levels of cattle rustling in the Ufwenuka Chiefdom is worrying.
The village headman said the rampant cattle rustling in the area has greatly
disturbed villagers who are no longer enjoying a peaceful night’s sleep for
fear of having their animals stolen.
He has since appealed to the police and village neighbourhood to ensure that
the Ufwenuka chiefdom becomes a ‘cattle rustling free area’.
Headman Simaamba has strongly criticised the villagers who have a tendency
of settling cases at home with rustlers.
He said the practice of accepting money from alleged cattle rustlers has
helped to create a safe haven for them in communities.
The village headman appealed to villagers to let alleged cattle rustlers
face the full wrath of the law, by reporting them to relevant law
enforcement agencies.
Sports teacher calls on parents to support sport
By Wilbroad Musonda and Moombe Hamoobola
Bweengwa Basic School Teacher Prince Mbaza has appealed to parents in the
area to help the school buy sports equipment.
Mbaza says sports equipment is too expensive for schools to buy, hence the
need for parents to offer money to buy various sporting equipment.
He added that sport had gone down in schools due to lack of sporting equipment.
Mbaza told Radio Chikuni News Tuesday, ‘sport is important as it helps
pupils interact and share information on HIV/AIDS’.
In a related development, Monze central Member of Parliament, Jack Mwiimbu,
has called on government through the ministry of sport, youth and child
development to support various sporting disciplines in Basic schools.
Mwiimbu said sports can only improve if government provides financial
support to successfully host competitions so as to nurture the talent of
young children interested in pursuing a career in sports.
He said sport is important as it makes children healthy and instills discipline.
Speaking during the Monze district inter- zones sports tournament in Chikuni, Mwiimbu attributed the declining sports standards in the country to lack of financial support from the government.
Mwiimbu said government through the ministry of education had not
contributed anything towards the on going Monze district inter- zones sports tournament.
He pledged one million kwacha, jerseys for both boys and girls and a medal to the winning team.
And Charles Lwanga Basic School Head Teacher, Sister Euphemia Mainza thanked
Mwiimbu for the contribution to the zonal sports.
Ten zones in Monze District are taking part in various sports activities,
which include ball games and athletics in preparation for the inter district competition.
