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are all affected by AIDS pandemicLocal News Up-Date, July 31, 2010
It is irresponsible, wasteful and unwise for government to buy mobile hospitals
By Wilbroad Musonda
A Zambian based in USA, Henry Kyambalesa, says it is irresponsible, wasteful and unwise for the government to buy mobile hospitals given the poor state of roads in rural areas.
Government got a US $53 million concessional loan from China to procure mobile hospitals.
Mr. Kyambalesa, who is also Agenda for Change (AfC) president, said this in a statement released to Radio Chikuni News.
He further said that certain parts of the country are inaccessible due to a non existent road network, making it almost impossible for motor vehicles to reach such areas.
Mr Kyambalesa wondered how mobile hospitals would operate given the poor state of roads in most rural areas in the country.
He observed that the poor state of roads would increase the costs of maintaining the mobile hospitals.
Mr. Kyambalesa explained that given the prohibitive costs involved in the purchase of mobile clinics, the procurement of such temporary facilities is going to be the most conspicuous case of misapplication of resource by the government.
Recently President Banda defended government’s decision to purchase mobile clinics from China National Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation.
Various stakeholders opposed to the idea say mobile hospitals are not a solution to the country’s problems in the health sector.
They contend that government should focus on building more permanent health centers,training more medical personnel and improving the already existing facilities so that as many people as possible can access health care within their communities.
But President Rupiah Banda has defended the idea of mobile hospitals.
According to the President, mobile hospitals are aimed at taking mobile medical services to people in rural areas .
‘Pay us early enough”, farmer prods FRA
By Wilbroad Musonda
A Small Scale Farmer of Sintemba village, in Chief Ufwenuka’s area in Monze District, Christopher Munkombwe, says there is need for the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to promptly pay for maize purchased from farmers.
Mr. Munkombwe explained that delays by the FRA to pay the farmers will affect their preparations for the next farming season.
In an Interview, Mr Munkombwe observed that because of delays in receiving payment for the maize sold to the agency, many farmers find it difficult to buy farming inputs.
FRA’s crop buying exercise for this year has been rocked by a shortage of empty sack bags in some parts of Chief Ufwenuka’s area.
At Chisuwo maize buying satellite depot, farmers are spending nights in the cold as many of them have not been able to repack their maize and sell it to the agency due to a critical shortage of empty, 50 kg FRA branded sack bags.
Ufwenuka ward councillor, Tenara Mwanakalanga, confirmed the development to Radio Chikuni News.
Mr Mwanakalanga said the 1000 bags provided by FRA were not enough to cater for all the farmers.
Recently, FRA executive director, Anthony Mwanaumo, admitted the shortage of empty 50kg FRA branded sack bags.
HH admits UPND/PF Pact is in ''crisis" but says it is normal to disagree
By Nchimunya Mweemba
United Party for National Development (UPND) leader, Hakainde Hichilema, has denied assertions that the cracks that are emerging in the UPND/PF pact are a result of the failure by the pact to name its presidential candidate for the 2011 elections.
Some stakeholders contend that the problems in UPND/PF pact are a result of the failure by the pact to resolve the issue of presidency for the 2011 elections.
Mr Hichilema said the pact is more important than the choice of a presidential candidate
He said there are a number of issues to be considered before the pact can announce its presidential candidate.
The UPND leader told Radio Chikuni News in a telephone interview that in a quest to solve the problems that have rocked the pact, his party and the PF are working on harmonizing their manifestos so that whoever is chosen as the pact president will be mandated to implement the manifesto agreed upon by the two parties.
He said the harmonization of the manifestos of the two parties will resolve the problem of ideological differences between the UPND and PF so that the Pact will base its campaign on one manifesto.
Mr Hichilema has said the current crisis in the Pact is normal, and UPND and PF members should not blame each other for the current confusion but work together to amicably resolve the crisis.
Mr Hichilema said he is hopeful that the UPND/PF pact will survive the current crisis.
And Mr Hichilema has refuted assertions that the Pact was formed to win elections on a regional basis.
He said the problems faced by the pact are not as a result of tribalism or regionalism but emanate from what happens in all mature relationships where people can disagree but can still put aside their differences and continue working together.
Mr Hichilema said the UPND/PF pact is anchored on unity and the need to work to together and not on shallow regional or tribal interests.
Cracks in the pact emerged when the two parties went against their agreement not to compete against each other.
PF and UPND both fielded candidates in the Kaoma and Chadiza Local Government by-elections.
Ufwenuka sends SOS to the Forestry Department
By Moono Hamasukwa
Chief Ufwenuka has said the Forestry Department must do more to curb the unabated, indiscriminate cutting down of trees in rural areas.
The Traditional leader accuses the Forestry Department of not doing enough to fight large scale deforestation
He says the Forestry Department has failed to monitor the illegal cutting down of trees resulting in large scale deforestation.
“There is need by the department and other stakeholders to embark on massive sensitisation of communities on the importance of trees and the effects of deforestation especially in rural areas,’ Chief Ufwenuka said.
But Environmental Activists argue that traditional leaders must play a leading role in the conservation of natural resources by encouraging prudent and sustainable management of forests by locals.
Efforts to get a comment from the Forestry Department failed by broadcast time.
Though Chief Ufwenuka, like many others, blames the Forestry Department over the rampant illegal cutting down of trees, poverty is at the root of the problem of deforestation.
Rural dwellers lack access to modern forms of energy and rely on traditional forms such as charcoal and fire wood and this has lead to large scale deforestation.
Poverty, lack of knowledge on sustainable use of natural resources , and weak enforcement of laws governing deforestation have been cited by environmental activists as some of the reasons that have lead to large scale deforestation in rural Zambia.
A teacher speaks out on the problem of illiteracy
By Wilbroad Musonda
A Religious and Civic Education teacher at Lukonde Basic School says the key to addressing the rising illiteracy levels in Gwembe’s Munyumbwe area, lies in building more schools and improving the quality of education offered in schools.
Patron Habeenzu says lack of schools and quality education has dimmed the future prospects of formal employment for youths in the area.
He says due to lack of an education, many young people continue to wallow in poverty as the opportunities for illiterate young people are few.
Though education is a right in Zambia, the issue of access still remains to be addressed.
Lack of teachers and learning materials feature as the key problems in the quest to curb the rising illiteracy levels.
Many rural schools have dilapidated infrastructure and not conducive for learning.
Most learners in rural schools come from impoverished homes; they walk long distances, report to school hungry and tired, and this affects their learning and concentration in class.
Many children are forced to drop out of school due to poverty.
According to the Ministry of Education about 520,000 Zambian children do not attend school.
Even if there is free primary education, parents are still expected to pay for their children’s higher education, and very few can afford the high school fees.
The Zambian government scrapped off user fees in all primary schools, as part of initiatives aimed at helping the country attain the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on education.
Chisoba Farm employees vow to fight for their terminal benefits
By Jyde Hamoonga
About 74 farm employees of Chisoba Farms in Mazabuka, under receivership, threatened with eviction have vowed not to leave the farm until they are paid their terminal benefits.
The farm workers say there is no way they can leave the farm without their money and that the July 22nd ultimatum given to them to vacate the farm will not intimidate them.
Speaking exclusively to Radio Chikuni News, one of the affected employees
Owen Sichambwa ,said when the care-takers arrived at the farm in December last year, they promised to pay the workers salaries for three months and terminal benefits.
He explained that up to now the workers have not been paid their terminal benefits.
Mr. Sichambwa further said the care-takers, who were acting on behalf of Barclays Bank, sold 800 dairy cattle as well as the farm itself.
He said the employees have sought the intervention of Chikankata Member of Parliament Munji Habeenzu but to no avail.Efforts to get a comment from Mr Habeenzu failed by broadcast time.
Mr. Sichambwa has since appealed to government to help them get their money to send their children to school and support their families.
Communication is key to Collective Bargaining-Hachizo
By Wilbroad Musonda
Secondary School Teachers Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) Monze District Secretary, Percival Hachizo, has observed that many teachers still don’t understand the process of collective bargaining.
Mr. Hachizo said due to lack of understanding of the bargaining Process, many teachers end up accusing union officials of being compromised.
He explained that there are a number of conditionalities the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has put which mandates government not to award salary increments above a stipulated percentage.
Mr. Hachizo was speaking Thursday during Radio Chikuni’s live discussion programme “Amubabuzye’.
Speaking during the same programme, Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) Monze District Secretary, Joshua Kunda, said that all categories of rural hardships for teachers would be effected soon.
He further advised teachers who may be affected because of anomalies on the payroll regarding housing allowances among others to report to their respective union leaders or school authorities.
Govt urged to tap sporting talent in rural areas
By Moombe Hamoobola
Ufwenuka Schools Sports Association (USSA) chairperson, Perry Shambeza, has said sports can create employment for talented young people who fail to excel academically in schools.
Shambeza said sports, if well promoted among the school going youths can be a source of livelihood for young people with sporting talent.
He explained that not all school going children can excel academically but there is need to nurture the talent of those who are exceptionally gifted in sports.
Shambeza told Radio Chikuni News that there was a lot of talent in schools in rural areas but bemoaned the lack of exposure because government concentrated on schools in urban areas.
He called on government to devise deliberate programmes aimed at tapping and nurturing sporting talent in rural areas as this would help to develop the various sporting disciplines in the country.
And Shambeza has said sport has become increasingly important in the life of youths as it helps to keep them away from vices such as illicit sex and beer drinking.
He said in the era of HIV/AIDS, sport can be a productive past time for many young people.
Shambeza who is also a teacher at Charles Lwanga Basic implored all pupils taking part in various sports activities to exhibit maximum discipline and good behaviour through out the event.
The district inter-zonal sports activities that include athletics and ball games are being hosted by Chikuni zone in Chief Ufwenuka’s area in Monze District and will run from August 1st to 5 th and has attracted nine other zones in Monze District.
