Friday
17, April 2020
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NATION MINING MANAGERS ‘BOOTLICKING’
Tel: 0211 - 243527, P.O. Box 34553
Plot No. 5152 B Mukwa Road, Heavy Industrial
Area Lusaka.
E-mail: [email protected]
www.dailynation.info
TOYING WITH COVID-19
REPORTS that some residents in Mumbwa are
harbouring illegal immigrants at a time when the
country is fighting against the spread of the deadly
coronavirus are extremely disturbing.
By harbouring illegal immigrants, especially
from countries with confirmed cases, the residents
are rendering Government’s efforts to curtail the
further spread of the virus futile.
With the country recording three more con-
firmed cases in the last 48 hours, bringing the
number to 48, it is disingenuous, irresponsible
and above all unpatriotic for people to harbour il-
legal foreigners from areas with confirmed cases.
Chances are that these illegal immigrants are
neither tested nor screened as many use informal
routes to avoid detection to enter the country.
We say so bearing mind the concerns raised by
Mumbwa Central Member of Parliament Credo
Nanjuwa that some locals in Mumbwa where
habouring illegal foreign elements from coun-
tries with confirmed Covid-19 cases such as the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
We can’t help but agree with Mr Nanjuwa that
this was not only a punishable crime but a big set-
back in the battle against Covid-19 which has so far
claimed two lives and was capable of killing more
people because of such irresponsible behaviour by
some citizens.
The lawmaker was reacting to fears by a se-
nior headman of the Kaonde-lla people of Chief
Kaindu’s area in Mumbwa.
Senior Headman Malembeka complained of
an influx of illegal businessman especially from
Congo who were illegally entering the chiefdom
after crossing the Kafue River through Luanshya
into Mpusu area.
The senior headman’s fears that his subjects
were now living in fear of contracting the disease
from foreigners was on firm ground as it was high-
ly unlikely that they were screened or tested for
Covid-19.
It was also questionable as to whether these for-
eigners were adhering to the locally recommended
health guidelines.
What is happening in Mumbwa is a great source
of concern and should be nipped in the bud. Those
found harbouring illegal immigrants should be
identified and dealt with in line with the law.
Zambia has already lost two lives to Covid-19 and
cannot afford to lose more citizens to the deadly
disease.
With Kafue under lockdown and the potential
for locally contracted Covid-19 cases to soar, the
nation cannot afford to allow illegal immigrants
derail the measures by undoing the gains so far
made in the fight against the virus.
We therefore urge the police and health author-
ities to combine efforts and quickly swing into ac-
tion and address the situation in Chief Kaindu’s
area to prevent human to human transmission in
the area.
We also agree with Mr Nanjuwa that security
should be tightened in the area to prevent foreign-
ers from sneaking into the country without been
screened and tested.
But that’s not all, there is need to sensitise the
people in Chief Kaindu’s area about the dangers
of Covid-19 and the importance of adhering to the
recommended guidelines.
Once equipped with knowledge about Covid-19,
people would be able to refrain from harbouring
illegal immigrants who had the potential to trans-
mit the virus in the area.
It would be advisable for the health authorities
to also carry out mass screening and testing in
Chief Kaindu’s area given what has been happen-
ing in the area to establish the extent of the disease.
Those harbouring illegal immigrants should
therefore stop forthwith and join the rest of the na-
tion in the battle against Covid-19.
PURSUING JUSTICE AND
EQUITY WITH INTERGRITY
By ROGERS KALERO
OVERNMENT has
warned Zambian
managers in the
mining sector to
immediately stop betraying
fellow Zambians through
“bootlicking” and other tac-
tics on foreign investors.
The state is dismayed that
some local managers were be-
traying their fellow citizens in
the mining industry to get fa-
vours from foreign investors.
Mines
and
Minerals
Development
Minister,
Richard Musukwa, disclosed
that some Zambians were mis-
leading foreign investors and
had reduced themselves to
bootlickers to get favours at the
expense of the entire country.
The minister was speaking in Kitwe in the wake of Mopani
Copper Mine’s decision to
place Kitwe and Mufulira min-
ing units under care and main-
tenance.
He said the government del-
egation during a meeting with
Glencore, was told that the
international firm was relying
on the advice from local man-
agers.
"Let me warn our local
managers to desist from be-
ing bootlickers to get favours
from these investors. We have
been told that some Zambian
managers are in the habit of
misleading foreign investors.
Those who are in this hab-
it should stop" Mr Musukwa
warned. Mr Musukwa also
urged the union leaders not
to fold their arms, but contin-
ue pursuing their agenda of ensuring the best for the
workers.
Glencore International
holds 73 percent shares
in Mopani while First
Quantum has 16 percent,
with Government holding
10 percent through ZCCM-
IH. Mr Musukwa said the
fact that Government had
moved in it did not mean
that the unions should be-
come complacent.
"The fact that we have
moved in does not mean
that unions should be
watching from the terraces,
they should keep the fire
burning.
As for Government, it
is aluta continua. I think
we have to set the stage.
Things must be done prop-
erly," he added.
“Now it is compulsory to
put the face masks [on],” po-
lice inspector general Hillary
Mutyambai said in a press
briefing Wednesday. “I’ve in-
structed the police officers to
enforce this.”
And following President
Lungu’s directive, everyone
will now be expected to wear a
mask in public places such as
markets and bus stations as an
effective way to avoid person
to person transmission of the
virus.
And Minister of Health
Chitalu Chilufya who disclosed
yesterday that Zambia had not
recorded any new COVID-19
cases, emphasised the need for
citizens to continue adhering
to measures and health guide-
lines. On the Kafue lockdown
operation, Dr Chilufya an-
nounced that 131 tests were
done and all of them tested
negative. He said the num-
ber of COVID-19 cases in the
country cumulatively remains
at 48 cases, with 30 recoveries,
16 admissions and two deaths
recorded so far.
Dr Chitalu said despite
the end of the lockdown, the
screening of residents for
COVID-19 was going to con-
tinue in Kafue.
Meanwhile, the ruling par-
ty has donated K150, 000
and commercial hand wash-
ing buckets to the Ministry
of Health as contribution to-
wards the fight against the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking when he presented the donation on behalf of the
party, PF Secretary General
Davies Mwila made a passion-
ate appeal for all the citizens
to strictly adhere to the pre-
ventative measures that gov-
ernment had put in place in
the fight against Covid-19 and
avoid overstretching the Police
through disobedience.
Meanwhile, in Kenya, of-
ficials have implemented a
heavily enforced three-week
lockdown that began on March
27 and will last until April 17.
The lockdown includes bar-
ring all movement by railroad
and air throughout the Nairobi
metropolitan area.
Kenya has reported a total of
225 cases of COVID-19, with
10 deaths, according to Johns
Hopkins University data.
G
Lungu orders mandatory masking up
Floods hit 1.3 million people - Wina
By PETER SICHALI
MORE than 1, 300, 000 peo-
ple from four provinces have
been affected by floods, Vice
President Inonge Wina has
said.
The Vice President who
is on the tour of Northern,
Muchinga, North-Western and
Eastern provinces to take aeri-
al view of the affected areas,
said the floods had affected
40 districts with 24 being the
most affected.
Ms Wina said the floods have
affected Northern, Muchinga,
Eastern and some parts of the
Copperbelt provinces.
Ms Wina said K1, 300, 000
people have been left homeless
with no food.
She said Government was
concerned that the floods
had submerged food crops
including cassava , maize, mil-
let among other.
Ms Wina however said
Government remained com-
mitted to ensuring that assis-
tance was provided to the af-
fected people.
"As government we are
aware of the situation and we
remain committed in ensur-
ing that people have food, "Ms
Wina said. She said hunger
was anticipated in flood affect-
ed areas and the government
would continue working to-
wards ensuring that relief food
was provided to the victims.
The Vice President who
was accompanied by Disaster
Management and Mitigation
Unit ( DMMU) Coordinator
Chanda Kabwe also handover
hand sanitisers, face masks
and hand washing facilities to
Paramount Chief Chitimukulu
at his palace.
And Speaking when the
Ms Wina paid a courtesy call
on him, Paramount Chief
Chitimukulu
commended
Government for the strides it
was making in providing assis-
tance to the flood victims.
"The fact that you are here to
check on the impact of floods
is a clear indication of your
government's commitment to
cushion the impact of floods
and as a traditional lead-
er I’m impressed with that,"
Paramount Chief Chitimukulu
said.
Paramount
Chief
Chitimukulu said he had con-
tinued to lobby for assistance
from other well wishers and
other stakeholders for support.
The Paramount Chief said
he was expecting Ndola Lion's
club to provide assistance.
By AARON CHIYANZO Cabinet upbeat about Covid-19 preparedness
ADEQUATE preparedness
has been instituted to fight
the Covid-19 pandemic,
Cabinet has said.
Chief Government spokes-
person Dora Siliya said cab-
inet was also comforted that
test undertaken in Kafue town
on a number of citizens on
Wednesday all came out nega-
tive.
Ms Siliya said the 10th
Special
Cabinet
Meeting
chaired by President Edgar
Lungu yesterday agreed that the continued implementation
of the measures announced by
the President were yielding the
necessary results.
She said in a statement that
the multisectoral approach put
in place by Government was
working well.
“Cabinet is also impressed
that a number of individuals,
institutions and companies
had come forward to support
Government’s efforts in fight-
ing COVID-19,” said Ms Siliya.
And Ms Siliya said Cabinet
had approved a 13-member
board for the Water Resources
Management
Authority
(WARMA) and a 12 mem-
ber board for the Zambia
Environmental Management
Agency (ZEMA).
“Cabinet felt it is prudent
that the Board be reconstitut-
ed and appointed to ensure
that water resources manage-
ment functions are well su-
perintended over to promote
sustainable development in
Zambia,” she said.
Mr Musukwa
RTSA unveils online
payment initiative
By NATION REPORTER
THE Road Transport and
Safety Agency (RTSA)
has introduced an online
payment portal to reduce
queues and time to access
services such as road tax.
RTSA director and chief
executive officer, Gladwell
Banda said the online
payment portal would
enhance accessibility and
effective delivery of RTSA
services.
‘‘We are pleased to
announce the immediate
availability of the RTSA
online payment portal on a
‘pilot basis’ in collaboration
with the Ministry of Finance
and Smart Zambia Institute
under an integrated system
called the Government
Services Bus (GSB) and
Payment Gateway. Selected
RTSA services are now
available and can be
accessed online from any
internet enabled device,’’
he said.
‘State secures 70
percent of fertiliser’
By SENIYA BANDA
GOVERNMENT has secured
over 70 percent of compound
D fertiliser and about 45
percent of urea in prepa-
ration for the 2020/2021
farming sector, Minister
of
Agriculture
Michael
Katambo has said
Speaking when he toured
depots for suppliers of the
farming inputs, Mr. Katambo
said Government was confi-
dent that all inputs would be
available by the end of the July.
“The ministry engaged five
input suppliers to supply fer-
tilisers under the Farmers
Input Support Programme,
and the suppliers have assured
us they have stock of almost
80 percent of compound and
45 percent of urea and the re-
maining quantities is already
stationed at various ports in the
region,’’ he said.
Mr.
Katambo
said
Government was expected to
start the distribution of inputs
countrywide by the first week
of September.