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are all affected by AIDS pandemicLocal News Up-Date, July 17, 2010
Child marriages worry Gwembe DEBS
By Nchimunya Mweemba
Gwembe District Education Board Secretary, Joyce Musambila, has expressed
concern over the rampant early marriages involving underage –school going
girls in the district.
Ms Musambila said the practice of marrying off underage- school going girls
is still a problem those in the educational sector still have to grapple with.
She has appealed to traditional leaders to play a leading in the fight
against the practice.
Ms Musambila was speaking Friday at the Chipepo Chiefdom annual general
meeting.
The practice which is driven mainly by poverty is also perpetuated by the
belief that girls can not excel in school.
Girls are more likely than boys to lose educational opportunities due to poverty.
Impoverished parents desperate for lobola marry off girls as young as 11.
Experts on education contend that early marriages have exacerbated rural
poverty as most young girls are not given a chance to excel in school and
help to develop their communities.
According to the United Nations’ “World Marriage Patterns” report for the
year 2000, child marriage directly impacts girls’ education, health,
psychological well-being, and the health of their offspring.
The Report further says that child marriages also increase the risk for
depression, sexually transmitted infection, cervical cancer, malaria,
obstetric fistulas, and maternal mortality.
Health expert says education key in better health for Africans
By Nchimunya Mweemba
A Boston University Professor of international health, Donald Thea, has
advised African governments to focus on educating people on the various
diseases in a quest to promote health seeking behaviour.
In an exclusive interview with Radio Chikuni News Friday, Professor Thea
said the key to fight and ultimately reduce the incidence of disease among
widely distributed populations, lies in giving them as much information as
possible on the causes, preventive measures and the cures for diseases.
He said if as many people as possible have knowledge on various diseases
they can take charge of their health and focus on protecting themselves from
contracting disease.
Meanwhile, Prof Thea has said the key to ensuring that the rural poor access
sustainable healthcare is through the use of “Out of the facility system’
that relies on community health agents who can offer health services within
the community.
And the Professor has said malnutrition worsens the progression of disease
among food insecure populations.
He said enhancing food security among vulnerable -prone to infection
communities can reduce the devastating effects of disease.
Prof Thea advised African government to ensure that as many people as
possible are food secure.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), under-nutrition levels in
Zambia stand at fifteen percent (15%) while stunting levels stand at 45 percent.
Chikuni Parish Taonga Team donates 9 bicycles
By Moono Hamasukwa
The Chikuni Parish Taonga Agro-forestry team has given out bicycles to 9
Taonga Centers aimed at easing the transportation of dried vegetables from
the centers to Chikuni Parish.
The bicycles are worth K7.5 million kwacha.
Speaking when he handed over the bicycles in Chikuni Saturday, Taonga Agro
Forestry Coordinator, John Muntanga, told the beneficiaries to use the
bicycles for the intended purpose.
Mr. Muntanga said the team now expected prompt delivery of vegetables as the
problem of transport has been sorted out.
And speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Chairman for Sikabenga centre,
Albert Mweemba, thanked Chikuni Parish through the Taonga project for its
continuous support in alleviating poverty in the Parish through its various
programmes.
Mr. Mweemba appealed to all Taonga centers in the parish to complement the
works done by the Taonga team by working extra hard and ensure that solar
dried vegetables are delivered promptly and in bulk as the problem of
transport has been partially solved.
Meanwhile, Chikuni Parish Priest, Father Tadeusz Swiderski, has said his
team is working towards finding a market for the dried vegetables in order
to generate funds for running Taonga centres in Chikuni Parish.
Fr. Tadeusz said Chikuni Parish through its Taonga programmes remains
committed in helping the less privileged children in the Parish.
He said his team and cooperating partners are looking for money to fund the
different projects that are meant to improve the learning environment at all
Taonga centers in Chikuni Parish.
In an effort to reduce illiteracy levels, Chikuni Parish has partnered with
government through the Education Broadcasting Services to accord an
education to vulnerable children who can not attend formal schools. It does
this through Interactive Radio Instructions, IRI, commonly called ‘Taonga market”.
With the help of a German group called Kindernothilfe, boreholes have been
drilled at the Taonga centres to pirate the Agro forestry project to impart
agricultural knowledge in the learners. Mentors have been trained in
Sustainable Agriculture and organic vegetable gardening.
Government challenged to translate economic growth into tangible development
By Nchimunya Mweemba
A civic leader in Monze District has challenged government to translate the
recorded economic growth into tangible development for the people.
Ufwenuka ward councilor, Tenara Mwanakalanga, said it is pointless for
government to praise its self over the improving economic indicators when
millions of Zambians still live in abject poverty.
Speaking to Radio Chikuni News Monday, Mr Mwanakalanga said the improving
economic indicators remain meaningless unless Zambians see the fruits of an
improved economy.
He said many Zambians are not seeing the trickle down effects of an improved
economy, and said the only thing evident is the ever widening gap between
the rich and the poor.
Mr Mwanakalanga said the privileged few are amassing wealth at the expense
of the marginalized majority.
He further said unless the recorded economic growth results in human
development, the digits will mean nothing to 80% of Zambians who live in
abject poverty and cannot afford the basic necessities for survival.
Zambian economists contend that the recorded economic growth rate of 6.2 %
per year is too little to trickle down to the poor and if the country is to
improve the living standards it should aim at doubling the current growth
rate, failure to which poverty levels will remain high.
Over 70% of Zambia‘s over 12 million people live below a dollar a day.
Poor publicity has lead to fewer people registering as voters in Chipepo
By Nchimunya Mweemba /Moono Hamasukwa
Chief Chipepo’s representative, Samson Syabwengo, has blamed the low turnout
at registration centers in the Chipepo Chiefdom to inadequate publicity by
the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and its failure to involve the
traditional leaders in publicizing the voter registration exercise.
Mr Syabwengo said many people are not aware of the on going continuous voter
registration exercise.
He said ECZ was supposed to involve the traditional leaders in its publicity campaigns.
Mr Syabwengo told Radio Chikuni News Tuesday that for the voter registration
to be a success there is need for ECZ to embark on a massive publicity
campaign that will also involve the traditional leaders.
But Gwembe District Voter Registration Officer, Fred Mooya, refuted claims
by Chief Chipepo’s representative that the voter registration exercise has
not been adequately publicized in the district.
Mr. Mooya who spoke through Webster Syamuvwumbe told Radio Chikuni News, his
office has worked hard to publicise the exercise and to this effect they are
using a PA system vehicle which at the moment is going round the district
reaching even the remotest areas.
He said contrary to Mr Syabwengo’s assertions, the registration exercise in
the district is a success and the turn out at registration centers is
overwhelming.
Mr Mooya said so far 1040 people have been registered in the district.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) commenced the continuous voter
registration exercise on June 21 ahead of the 2011 general elections.
The continuous voter registration exercise has been marred by reports of low
turn out in most parts of the country.
Some stakeholders have blamed the slow turn out in the continuous voter
registration to poor publicity.
Livestock rearing key to addressing hunger in the Gwembe Valley-DC
Nchimunya Mweemba
Gwembe District Commissioner, Raymond Nampindi, has said the key to
addressing the problem of hunger in the Gwembe valley lies in livestock rearing.
Mr Nampindi says government has identified live stock rearing as the only
hope for farmers in the valley.
He said rearing of pigs, goats and cows has become a key government
programme in efforts to help sustain livelihoods among farmers who face
harsh weather in an arid area where crops can not thrive.
Mr Nampindi said livestock rearing has now become the source of livelihood
for many farmers in the Gwembe valley.
He was speaking in an interview with Radio Chikuni News Tuesday.
Crops rarely thrive in the Gwembe valley as it lies in the rain shadow.
The Gwembe valley is the most food insecure place in the Southern Province of Zambia.
Adverse weather has affected food production in the valley and livestock
rearing remains the only hope for peasant farmers in the area.
Chief Chipepo calls for the tarrying of the Bottom Road
By Nchimunya Mweemba
Chief Chipepo of the Tonga Speaking people in the Gwembe Valley has appealed
to government to tar the Bottom Road so as to open his chiefdom to
commercial activities.
The traditional leader revealed that the poor state of the bottom road has
retarded development in the valley as investors shun the area due to the
poor road network.
He told Radio Chikuni News Friday that a number of investors who had wanted
to invest in the area withdrew their interest because of the poor state of
the Bottom Road.
Chief Chipepo explained that an improved road network can enhance
development as it makes it easy to move people, goods and services thereby
reducing the cost of doing business.
And in another development, Chief Chipepo has appealed to his subjects to
vote out Members of parliament (MPs) who have failed to bring development to the area.
The chief strongly criticised MPs who are in a tendency of abandoning the
people after they have been voted into power.
He said it is sad to note that some MPs fail to visit their constituencies
after they are voted into power and refuse to attend developmental meetings.
Chief Chipepo said such representatives must be voted out of power so as to
leave room for new leaders dedicated to bringing development to his
chiefdom which remains underdeveloped.
The traditional leader has since advised his subjects to vote for credible
leaders who can bring meaningful development to the area.
Communities implored to conserve wildlife
By Nchimunya Mweemba
The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) area warden for the Kafue Floods Area
Management Unit, Patrick Nyirenda, has challenged communities to play a
leading role in the conservation of natural resources.
Mr Nyirenda said communities must conserve wildlife for posterity.
He said people must cherish wildlife as it is their cultural heritage.
Mr Nyirenda explained that Zambian tourism is wildlife based hence the need
for communities to help fight poaching and indiscriminate killing of wild animals.
In a related development, Mr Nyirenda has said the human –animal conflict
can not be eliminated because humans and animals share the same environment.
Mr Nyirenda said the conflict can only be minimised but not ultimately
eliminated as ZAWA can not shoot all the animals that become nuisances to human beings.
He was speaking in an interview with Radio Chikuni News.
Cases of human-animal conflict in Zambia are not rare, wild animals
sometimes stray from game reserve areas to nearby villages, trampling and
devouring crops and sometimes terrorizing villagers with deadly results.
Poverty has put many women at risk of contracting HIV-Chief Ufwenuka
By Nchimunya Mweemba
A traditional leader in Monze District says poverty poses a great challenge
to the fight against HIV/AIDS, as impoverished vulnerable groups of women
and girls remain at risk of contracting the deadly diseases.
Chief Ufwenuka said poverty makes women vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
He said this increases their risk of contracting HIV.
Chief Ufwenuka told Radio Chikuni News that unless the deepening roots of
poverty are addressed among vulnerable groups of women and girls, these
groups will remain at risk of contracting the Virus that leads to AIDS.
He said there is need for the fight against poverty if African women and
girls are to be protected from HIV.
