DAILY
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Vol. 6. Issue 2601
MILLIONS LOST IN INVESTMENT SHOCKER Price K10
Tuesday May 19, 2020
RETIRED ARMY GENERAL
By SILUMESI MALUMO
“That was my retirement money and I was counting on it to see my children through school. It really pains to move from financial security to destitution,”
R
ETIRED Army generals are among other private and corporate investors who may lose millions of Kwacha following among other things the seizure of 41 properties belonging to Madison Asset Management Company (MAMCO). More than K250billion in investment funding is at stake with the bulk from individuals who were lured by promises of secured high retains in favourable interest rates. Earlier this year, the Securities and Exchange Commission temporarily took possession of the financially distressed MAMCO with instructions that compliance with the securities act be strictly adhered to in order to salvage some value for investors.
According to documents availed to the Daily Nation, some of the prominent institutions which could lose money include parishes under the Roman Catholic Church, schools and some prominent individuals. Some of the properties siezed by the Drug Enforcement Commission
…hundreds lose savings in botched investment schemes. Page 3 761 Cases 10 0 0 900 800
Covid-19 stats
70 0
Total test
600
475
Cases
460,873
50 0
Recovered
15,515 7,006
Deaths
New Cases
264
1,160
7
8
South Africa
450
12,614
425 400 375 350 325
250 225 20 0 175
192
Zambia
Covid-19 update Cases
300 275
761
• • • • •
Deaths
…Fix maize floor price to avoid expensive mealie meal STORY ON PAGE 2
Discharged
761 total cases recorded 521 tested in the last 24 hours 4 patients discharged 8 new cases in the last 24hours 192 recovered
150 125 10 0 75 50 25 0 Days
Millers warn Government
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By PETER SICHALI
DELAYS by Government to announce the 2020 maize floor price will result in farmers selling their commodity to “briefcase” buyers at giveaway prices, the millers have lamented. The millers fear that once maize was in short supply, there would be an escalation in mealie meal prices. TO PAGE 2
Let HH answer privatisation questions - Tutwa 300 trucks roll out of Nakonde STORY ON PAGE 3
By SANFROSSA MANYINDA
ABOUT 300 trucks yesterday left Nakonde after the mandatory screening and disinfection process that has been going on in the border town since the weekend. To Page 4
Tuesday 19, May 2020
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NAKONDE RIDDLE
THE situation in Nakonde worries us. The Zambian government has since the weekend placed Nakonde on a total lockdown so as to carry out a disinfection and screening exercise for the district. But Nakonde is not just on the Zambian side. From what we know, the Tanzanian government has not adopted the same stringent measures as their Zambian colleagues. This means that much as the Zambian side is taking precautions, the danger still looms from Tanzania. It has been established that the bulk of Covid-19 infections recorded in Zambia have been traced through Nakonde, which borders Tanzania to the north. Zambia must therefore approach the Tanzanian government and see how the exercise could be done simultaneously on either side of the border. We know from foreign media that Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has not been as forthcoming as his colleagues over the Covid-19 pandemic, that he has been accused of downplaying the danger. While several African countries - Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Zambia had imposed some form of lockdowns over certain sectors of the economy, President Magufuli has allowed churches and mosques to remain open, claiming that healing will come from there. We realise that Zambia, being a landlocked country is in a dilemma. It has to go through the diplomatic route to get Tanzania to act. Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta at the weekend ordered the closure of the country’s land borders with Tanzania and Somalia except for cargo transport. The order came into effect at midnight on Saturday. Testing for the coronavirus at border posts will be compulsory for all drivers. President Kenyatta said 78 truck drivers had tested positive in the last week and had been denied permission to enter. In recent weeks there have been lengthy queues at the border between Uganda and Kenya where mandatory testing has already begun. While we do not enjoy the luxury that Kenya has for example of having an outlet to the sea, we appeal to Government to impress upon the Tanzanian government on the need to work together. It won’t help much to have Nakonde on a lockdown for some days while there is nothing done on the other side. Those people on the border are one big extended family who mingle freely over the porous border. The customs and immigration posts are a mere formality. There are countless footpaths they use to cross either side. Government must be commended by the manner it is handling the novel coronavirus pandemic that has thrown the world’s economy and social life into disarray. President Edgar Lungu has had to contend and balance the economic and social needs of the people in arriving at the best possible way to tackle the virus. There has been a robust public health education drive throughout the country about the new normal that emphasises the use of hand sanitisers, social distancing as well as stopping handshakes – something quite unZambian. While the effort has been a success so far, our concern is over the country’s border entry points. Muchinga Province Minister, Malozo Sichone who has been leading the multi-sectoral team in Nakonde experienced firsthand the problem at hand when a horde of Tanzanians on scooters tried to beat the lockdown. Mr Sichone, said police officers and Government officials were stunned that foreigners could attempt to get into Nakonde at the height of a total lockdown when no one could have transacted with them. That Mr Minister is what must be worked on, ensuring that health risks on either side of the border are eliminated.
PURSUING JUSTICE AND EQUITY WITH INTERGRITY
DAILY
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MILLERS WARN GOVT …Fix maize floor price to avoid expensive mealie meal By PETER SICHALI
Mr Sinkolongo
D
ELAYS by Government to announce the 2020 maize floor price will result in farmers selling their commodity to “briefcase” buyers at giveaway prices, the millers have lamented. The millers fear that once maize was in short supply, there would be an escalation in mealie meal prices. One of the millers in Isoka, Vichili Vikwiza Millers Director Elijah Sinkolongo said “briefcase” buyers had already invaded the district to buy maize from small-scale farmers. “We appeal to Government through FRA to quickly
“We appeal to Government through FRA to quickly announce the floor price of maize for this season so as to encourage farmers from selling maize to briefcase buyers,”
announce the floor price of maize for this season so as to encourage farmers from selling maize to briefcase buyers,” Mr Sinkolongo said. And Mr Sinkolongo said his company would buy over 20 tonnes of maize from farmers
in Isoka and Mafinga. He advised farmers against selling their produce to unscrupulous foreign buyers, as this would compromise the country’s food security. He said farmers should instead sell their maize to local
Minister urges world leaders to enhance testing, research By NATION REPORTER GOVERNMENT has assured the World Health Assembly of Zambia’s Covid-19 preparedness and called on the world to leverage efforts to enhance expansion of laboratory testing, and research for vaccines and treatment. Health minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya told the assembly that Zambia had pitched public health security at the apex of the country’s transformation agenda amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He said Zambia had set up an incident management system and activated the public health emergency
operation center in response to the pandemic. Speaking yesterday during a Virtual World Health Assembly meeting being held in Geneva, Dr Chilufya called on the world to leverage efforts to enhance expansion of laboratory testing platforms, pooled procurement of cheaper relevant commodities and PPE’s as well as enhanced research for vaccines and treatment. Dr Chilufya explained that Zambia’s Covid-19 response is premised on key pillars namely surveillance and disease intelligence, laboratory and diagnostics, infection prevention and control. He said other measures are case
management, risk communication and community engagement, supply chain and stock pilling commodities as well as human capital. Dr Chilufya also reaffirmed the call for continued focus on universal health coverage and enhanced efforts to, combat HIV/AIDS, NCD’s as well as maternal and child deaths. And addressing the assembly, World Health Organization secretary general Tedros Adhanom called on the world to unite and rethink new strategies that will change the response to pandemics and to capacitate health infrastructure in order to overcome diseases.
By CHARLES MUSONDA
Kambwili insulted Lungu - witness
A WITNESS has testified that he found remarks uttered by National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili directed at President Lungu to be insulting. Superintendent Stephen Nkowani, 46, of Zambia Police headquarters said yesterday that according to his findings, the sentiments were insulting and demeaning and should not be used on a human being especially the President. Mr. Nkowani said this before Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale in a case Kambwili has been charged with one count of defamation of the President for allegedly referring to Mr. Lungu as a dog. He said on August 17, 2019 while on duty, he took over the docket of defamation of the President and the complainant was New Congress Party (NCP) Secretary General Daniel Nyati over the utterances which went
viral on social media. He said Mr. Nyati showed him the said video which he had downloaded on his phone. Mr. Nkowani said he demanded that the video be downloaded to subject it to further investigations and he submitted it to police forensic headquarters for examination and results indicated that it was not altered. He said another man Alan Mkandawire went to lodge another complaint relating to an article published in the Daily Nation newspaper regarding Kambwili’s utterances. Mr. Nkowani said he interviewed Zambia Daily Mail Deputy Managing Director Chapadongo Lungu who said that Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo and then Political Advisor to the President Kaizer Zulu
were appointed by the President Edgar Lungu to their respective positions. He said the Head of State used to live in Chawama when he was minister of Justice. He said after gathering all the information he summoned Kambwili and interviewed him before charging him with defamation of the President. Mr. Nkowani said under warn and caution the NDC leader said he understood the charge but denied the same. Meanwhile, Kambwili’s lawyer Keith Mweemba has applied to the court to refer the matter to the High Court for determination of Constitutional issues. Mr. Mweemba said the application is based on Article 28 (2) of the Constitution Cap 1 of the Laws of Zambia.
millers and the Food Reserve Agency. “We would like to advise farmers against selling their maize to buyers from Tanzania and Malawi as this will compromise the country’s food security,” he said. Meanwhile, some millers in Lusaka have also advised Government to quickly announce the maize price.
Lake Tanganyika’s illegal settlers face eviction By NOEL IYOMBWA MINISTER in the office of the Vice President Olipa Phiri has ordered the immediate removal of people who have settled at Kabyolwe on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Speaking when she delivered relief support to the affected 345 families, Ms. Phiri said government will not wait for people to lose lives before acting. She said the office of the National Coordinator Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) will work with the provincial administration to ensure safe movement of people to dry land. She said taking of relief food to affected family does not mean they will continue staying there. Ms Phiri also said under the building back better programme, her office will ensure it provides the resettled families with building materials and other livelihood support materials. She however assured the affected families that Government will continue supporting them with food since their fields were flooded. Meanwhile Mpulungu Member of Parliament Freedom Sikazwe thanked the government and President Edgar Lungu for the quick response. Mr. Sikazwe said what has happened to the people on Kabyolwe has never happened in the last 40 years. He said this was a clear effect of climate change. Mr. Sikazwe, who is Presidential Affairs Minister said people should take matters of climate change seriously.
DAILY
Tuesday 19 May, 2020
Self -regulation framework for clergy done By NATION REPORTER
A SELF-REGULATION framework aimed at ensuring that churches adhere to legal, ethical and other standards has been completed, Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs, Godfridah Sumaili has said. Ms Sumaili said the framework would help to address the issues of fake pastors who pretend to be servants of God, yet their activities were contrary. She said the self-regulation framework was submitted by churches and religious organisations. Ms Sumaili said the framework would soon be launched. She said that Government would not tolerate people that pretend to be servants of God and mislead people with false biblical teachings. Government through the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs was consulting the Church and religious community leaders on a framework in which they can operate devoid of breaching the ethics and standards.
From Page 1 Regulator drew a raft of remedial measures to ameliorate the deteriorated financial position of the company, but these were apparently disregarded as the company continued to trade in unauthorised products. In a seizure notice directed at Mamco chairman Basil Nundwe the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has seized 41 upmarket properties from MAMCO on allegations of money launder-
HOME NEWS
‘LET HH ANSWER PRIVATISATION QUESTIONS’ By TROY MUKUPA
H
AKAINDE Hichilema has no moral right to speak on behalf of Zambians because he has failed to answer questions on privatisation, says Kabwe Central Member of Parliament Tutwa Ngulube. Mr Ngulube was reacting to the United Party for National Development (UPND) president who was quoted in one of the
ing, following deliberate and “ willful” disregard of regulators instruction to cease some operations which were not authorised. MAMCO had invested colossal sums of money in properties which are now expected to provide a a salvage realisable value to pay opff some of the secured and unsecured investors. “It is really heartbreaking to lose such huge amounts money. That was my retirement money and I was counting
daily tabloids as saying that Zambians were not idiots and that President Edgar Lungu was underestimating their intellligence by saying he has reduced his salary to cushion the economic hardships. Mr Tutwa said it was total madness for the opposition leader to act as if he stands with the Zambian people because they were aware of his involvement in the privatisation process. “Hakainde Hichilema
on it to see my children through school. It really pains to move from financial security to destitution,” he said. The retired general said with the decision by Government to liquidate the company, the clients
will not have access to their money. He said clients will be left in darkness because there is no proper direction on how they can get back their money which was invested in the company which has been
ABOUT 300 trucks yesterday left Nakonde after the mandatory screening and disinfection process that has been going on in the border town since the weekend. In an effort to ensure that truck drivers transporting essential goods do not get into contact with other persons, police are escorting them from Nakonde to Kapiri Mposhi and beyond. Yesterday, about 300 trucks crossed into Zambia from Tanzania. The truckers are first screened and their vehicles disinfected before being given police escort out of the border town, which is a hotspot for Covid-19. Muchinga Province Commissioner of Police, Joel Njase, explained in an interview that officers would ensure that the drivers do not park anyhow nor come into close contact with other persons along the way. Mr Njase said that the Zambia Police Service was working with the Road Trans-
port and Safety Agency (RTSA) to escort the truckers from Nakonde to Kapiri Mposhi. “Our officers as well as RTSA officers escort these truckers up to Kapiri where our counterparts from Central Province take over and escort them further until they reach their destinations,” he said. Mr Njase, however, indicated that there was need to have more escort vehicles to ensure that all the trucks only parked at designated parking slots and that the parking was concentrated on serious business. He said that the need for more vehicles as well as manpower would help to decongest traffic of the trucks at the border waiting to depart. “It will be difficult for us and may fail to let the traffic flow if we do not have enough vehicles to escort for example a 100 trucks per trip. Already today (Monday) we had about 300 trucks that have crossed from Tanzania and Congo that are being escorted,” Mr Njase said. He said that despite the tight security escort, police allowed truckers be a bit more relaxed
so as not to make them feel stigmatised. Mr Njase said that some truckers were complaining that they were treated like they were sick, a situation he said was not supposed to be taken in that manner. “We are however happy with the compliance levels of the people in Nakonde. We have not recorded any case of a Zambian national trying to defy the lockdown. It seems everyone is appreciating the work that is being done to ensure our town is safe again and we are happy,” Mr Njase said.
Mr Ngulube
Front Eastern Province chairperson Andrew Lubusha said it was clear that the UPND president must be going through some difficulties in appreciating the truth. Mr Lubusha said Mr Hichilema has shown that he was up to no good by criticising every positive move made by the President. “I think HH must be going through some problems with himself. How else can he be criticising even something which
MILLIONS LOST ...in investment shocker
300 trucks roll out of Nakonde By SANFROSSA MANYINDA
must keep his social distance and he has no moral obligation to speak on behalf of the people of Zambia because he has failed to answer questions on privatisation,” Mr Ngulube said. “He has failed to win the presidency because Zambians are aware of his involvement in the privatisation of state-owned companies that plunged most Zambians into poverty,” Mr Ngulube said. Meanwhile, Patriotic
seized for money laundering. In a seizure notice dated April 29, 2020, the DEC stated that the properties have been seized pursuant to Section 15 of the Prohibition and Prevention of Money Launder-
ing Act No. 14 of 2001. MAMCO is a subsidiary of the troubled Lawrence Sukutwa and Associated (LSA) Group of Companies which has been Zambia’s leading private sector diversified financial services group. The DEC warned Mr. Nundwe that the seized properties may be forfeited to the State. Mr Nundwe is also Country Director of Inside Capital which he joined in 2014 as a special advisor to the Fund and part of the Investment
222 Zambians arrive from SA, India face quarantine By AARON CHIYANZO
ABOUT 222 Zambians returning from South Africa and India will be quarantined for 14 days, the Ministry of Health has announced. And the ministry said the supervised home isolation system for Covid-19 patients in Nakonde had been intensified and some were being discharged. Ministry of Health director, infectious diseases,, Lloyd Mulenga, said 106 Zambians were returning from South Africa while 116 would come from India. Professor Mulenga said during the Covid-19 update yesterday that all people returning would be quarantined for 14 days including those in transit to other countries. Prof Mulenga also said the supervised home isolation system in Nakonde had been intensified.
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He said more than 100 community health workers were working with a team of 50 case managers to follow up patients in home isolation. Prof Mulenga said there were 96 patients in Chinsali Isolation Facility and that a number of patients had been released to home isolation. Meanwhile, Prof Mulenga said Zambia recorded eight Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours from the 521 tests which were conducted from Lusaka, Ndola and Chinsali laboratories. He said four Covid-19 patients were discharged from the Levy Mwanawasa Isolation Centre after testing negative twice. He said the new cases included three from Lusaka, two from Ndola and three cases from Solwezi. Prof Mulenga said the cases from Lusaka involved a 46-year-old health work-
is positive?” Mr Lubusha said. The reduction of salaries for the President and other senior government officials is a good gesture, Mr Lubusha said. “He is not being fair with himself. This is a good gesture done and we give kudos to the President for showing that he stands with the people. This can only be done by a selfless leader who means well for the nation,” Mr Lubusha said.
Committee, and became a senior Partner in June 2017. According to documents availed to the Daily Nation, some of the prominent institutions which could lose money include parishes under the Roman Catholic Church, schools and some prominent individuals. One woman had invested more than K5 million in the seized property while others had put in more than US$3 million.
er from UTH, a 31-year-old who is a contact to a known case and a woman who was detected through routine screening. He said the Ndola cases involved a female health worker and a 23-year-old who was a contact to a known case. Solwezi had a 23-year-old man detected through routine screening, a 48-year-old woman who was a contact to a known case and a 25-yearold health worker from Solwezi General Hospital. Prof Mulenga said the cumulative number of cases now stood at 761 which included seven deaths, 192 recoveries and 566 active cases.
UTH Prof Mulenga said the cases from Lusaka involved a 46-year-old health worker from UTH, a 31-year-old who is a contact to a known case and a woman who was detected through routine screening.