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  September 6,2024-I, Rae Hamoonga, wish to categorically refute the false and malicious news making rounds on social media, alleging that I had engaged in Gender based violence towards a woman going by the name Dinah Musamba. I want to make it clear that I am not, nor have I ever been, married or engaged to this individual. It is deeply concerning to see my name and image being attached to such defamatory stories without any basis in truth. These baseless claims have caused distress not only to me but also to my family, and I consider them a deliberate attack on my reputation. I have engaged my lawyers to explore all available avenues for addressing this defamatory content and will not hesitate to pursue legal action against those responsible for spreading this false narrative. I urge the public to disregard these false claims and refrain from further sharing or engaging with these misleading reports. I remain committed to my work and responsibilities, and I appreciate the support and trust of the community during this time. Thank you. Rae HamoongaPOLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER  

  The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has procured and handed over 160 desks for the newly built classroom block at New Kamulanga Combined School in Kabwata Constituency. The 1 by 4 classroom block, constructed using the 2022 Constituency Development Fund (CDF), was officially handed over today and each of the four classrooms will be equipped with 40 desks, providing students with a comfortable sitting arrangement during lessons. Officiating at the handover ceremony, Lusaka Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Alex Mapishi revealed that the classroom block was built at a total cost of K1,477,781.66. Mr. Mapishi stated that the classroom block and desks will help alleviate the shortage of classroom space at the institution and provide students with decent sitting arrangements, respectively. At the same event, Kabwata Member of Parliament Andrew Tayengwa said the project demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving the country’s education sector and learning standards. He emphasized that, with the decentralization of the CDF, Kabwata Constituency will remain dedicated to meeting the people’s expectations. In attendance at the handover ceremony were Kamulanga Ward 9 Councillor Sikuyuba Jackson, Kabwata CDF Chairperson Chilekwa Munkonge and Assistant Director of Engineering – Development Racheal Daka, representing the Town Clerk.  

    Paris, 6th September, 2024 – Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary, Ms. Noriana Muneku, has reiterated the Government’s commitment to developing free digital learning platforms for schools as part of its strategy to enhance quality of learning and content for pupils. Speaking during a panel discussion titled “Gateways to Public Digital Learning Initiative” at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week in Paris, Ms. Muneku highlighted the Government’s decision to implement digitalization in schools against the backdrop of the recruitment of over 38,000 teachers and introduction of the free education policy to achieve quality education for all. “Leadership is cardinal in the digitalization process, as for Zambia, President Hakainde Hichilema has placed education at the core of his agenda. When he came into power, the government shifted its focus towards prioritizing education and has since walked the talk,” Ms. Muneku stated. She urged other developing countries to embrace digitalization in their schools, leveraging platforms like the Digital Learning Week conference to explore opportunities and collaborate on overcoming the challenges of digital integration. Ms. Muneku also encouraged Member States to adopt a positive outlook on digitalization and expressed confidence in the tech savvy of the young ones who are capable of using technology in schools and support them to engage with digital learning. The Permanent Secretary acknowledged that while public digital learning platforms can be costly, they have yielded significant benefits, including easy production and distribution of digital content and easier access to digital resources by learners. “As a result of digital platforms, the impact of teacher pupil ratio which was extremely high as well as the book-to-pupil ratio has been greatly minimized. Pupils in remote areas, where access to digital platforms has been prioritized, can now experience the same quality of education as those in urban areas,” she added. Ms. Muneku further called for investment in digital infrastructure to effectively integrate digitalization in schools. Meanwhile, Ms. Muneku expressed optimism about the Global Digital Compact (GDC) which comes up for consideration at the UN Summit this month as it presents an important milestone in Education. She emphasized that the GDC presents numerous benefits to education, such as promoting digital inclusion and accessibility, ensuring that educational content is available to all learners, regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic status. Furthermore, the GDC will underscore the importance of digital literacy, which is essential for participation in today’s digital world. Ms. Muneku also highlighted the GDC’s role in fostering collaborative efforts among governments, private sector entities, educational institutions, and civil society to create and share digital educational resources. “The GDC also seeks to address the need for equitable access to digital infrastructure, including the Internet and digital devices, which are crucial for accessing educational content online,” Ms. Muneku explained.    

  04 September 2024 The Ministry of Technology and Science and the Ministry of Health have started rolling out the Digital Health Systems Project in hospitals across the country which is aimed at digitisation health services and safeguarding the supply of medicines. Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati says the digital health system is being rolled out to ensure that service delivery in the health sector is enhanced. Mr. Mutati says hospitals across the country will now be able to provide health services using digital tools to reach as many people as possible. Speaking when he launched the Digital Health Systems Project at Gwembe District Hospital in Munyumbwe area of Gwembe District in Southern Province, Mr. Mutati said his Ministry together with the Ministry of Health are tracking medicines across the country. Mr. Mutati said through the Track and Trace programme, medicines are being tracked using latest technology from the point of procurement to consumption by patients. Mr. Mutati said pilferage of drugs will soon be a thing of the past as gadgets have been deployed to monitor the supply chain. And Health Minister Hon. Elijah Muchima has called for the inclusion of technology courses in the training of nurses. Mr. Muchima says technology is now an integral part of health delivery and nurses need to know how to utilise gadgets in their daily work. Meanwhile, Mr. Muchima has condemned the rampant theft of medicines in health facilities. The Minister of Health says those stealing medicines deprive Zambians of the drugs they need for their health. Meanwhile, Mr. Muchima has disclosed that government is mobilising funds to equip all health facilities with solar energy. Mr. Muchima says government wants all health facilities to have energy throughout the day without disrupting operations. And Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) Director General Choolwe Nalubamba says two communication towers will be constructed in Gwembe District soon. Mr. Nalubamba said the two communication towers will be located at schools in order to give various institutions and residents an opportunity to access phone and internet services. Ends……    

This morning, we joined fellow Heads of State and government officials in Beijing, China, for the official opening ceremony of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Africa and China share a long history of cooperation and solidarity, dating back to pre-independence days. During some of our continent’s most challenging times, China extended a helping hand to Africa when it was neither popular nor expected. For Zambia, our Founding President, Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda, together with President Dr. Mwalimu Nyerere of the United Republic of Tanzania, forged a historic partnership with China. This collaboration set a benchmark and inspired the entire continent. The 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation seeks to build on this historical relationship by creating a win-win, strategic, and equal partnership that will benefit both regions. The resilience and determination of the Chinese people are qualities we admire and aspire to emulate with hard work and dedication. We extend our sincere gratitude to His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, and the Chinese people for offering Africa this initiative and platform to exchange ideas on how to unlock the full potential of our two regions. Hakainde HichilemaPresident of the Republic of Zambia 🇿🇲

  Water Development and Sanitation Minister Eng. Collins Nzovu has disclosed that the 449 million United States Dollars Kafulafuta Dam in Masaiti District will be Commissioned in October next month. Eng. Nzovu disclosed this in Ndola yesterday adding that the project is a game changer as it will improve the livelihood of hundreds of residents who will now have access to increased hours of water supply . The Kafulafuta Dam envisages to improve water supply to townships under Kafubu Water and Sanitation Company Limited. Over One million customers are expected to benefit from the water project. @

  Information and Media Permanent Secretary, THABO KAWANA says government is committed to exploring new frontiers to ensure that there is resilience and sustainability in the country.Mr. KAWANA said this during his keynote address at the second annual Risk Management Conference in Livingstone today. He said it is also government’s desire to have robust risk management strategies to navigate the uncertainties that threaten the country’s stability and growth. Mr. KAWANA said having a robust risk management strategy will help the leadership of the country to proactively identify and control threats and vulnerabilities that could impact the country negatively, as the drought has done. He has therefore urged delegates to the conference to provide recommendations to inform the design of policies towards a more resilient and sustainable Zambia. Speaking at the same conference, Controller of Internal Audits at the Ministry of Finance and National Panning, RINGO ZULU, said good governance and improved internal controls cannot be achieved without the integration of risk management in key business processes. Mr. ZULU said to respond to the volatile macro-economic environment, the government has embarked on managing the fiscal risks through the development of the Fiscal Risk Management Framework and Fiscal Statement. Institute of Risk Management Zambia Chief Executive Officer, FRANCIS ZIBA, said risk management is important in helping the country to navigate through the challenges and risks posed by climate change and artificial intelligence, among others.  

  ZESCO Limited’s 100 Megawatts Chisamba Solar project is steadily progressing. The solar project, which is located in Kafungalubala village, Chisamba district in Chief Chaamuka’s area, is among the country’s medium-term measures to diversify the country’s power generation mix, dominated by hydro, and build a climate resilient power system. As of Tuesday, 3 August 2024, 120 hectares of land was successfully cleared, fence installed, main road to the plant constructed while the drainage is under construction. Further, the photovoltaic field transformer foundation excavation has been completed, while concrete pouring of the transformer foundation column has been completed. The project has thus far created 230 jobs. The 100-megawatts solar project is funded by ZESCO’s subsidiary, the Kariba North Bank Extension Power Corporation. #TheEnergyRevolutionIsHere  

  Lusaka, Wednesday, 4th September, 2024 – Ministry of Green Economy and Environment Hon. Mike Mposha has thanked ABSA Bank for pioneering the keep fit programmes through the ABSA marathon over the years at a time when there is a sharp rise of the Non Communicable Diseases in the country. Speaking when a team led by ABSA Bank PLC Chief Executive Officer Ms. Mizinga Melu paid a courtesy call on him, Hon. Mposha said the Ministry will be taking part in the 2024 marathon slated for this Saturday, 7th September, 2024 saying a healthy workforce promotes productivity. And the Honourable Minister said the meeting is taking place at a time when the climate crisis is having a profound impact on the planet, economies, and societies. “The world is experiancing rising temperatures, persistent droughts and floods -more frequent natural disasters, and unpredictable weather patterns are just a few of the many manifestations of this global crisis. The country is currently undergoing a drought situation which has been exacerbated by climate change and the El Nino weather occurance, the crisis which has threatened national food security, as well as water and energy supply,” he said. He said he was aware of the Bank’s initiatives such as partnership with Forestry Department in the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment and the Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation (ZAFFICO) PLC to promote tree planting and address the impacts of climate change in Zambia. Hon. Mposha added that the support to the country’s preparation and participation in the United Nations Conference of Parties (UN – COP) demonstrates a clear dedication to fight climate change and contribute to low carbon and climate resistant development. “ABSA Bank Group has aligned well its business strategy by being consistent, measured and balanced in climate change and environmental support that speaks to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement, National Development Plans and Regional Legislative Frameworks,” he said. “Your personal leadership in this area sets a shining example for other banking institutions to follow, and I am confident that your efforts will have a positive impact on our country’s future but also the planet’s future.” He noted that Government has put in place enabling policy frameworks to address climate change and green growth that also set platform of engagement and collaborative efforts as enshrined in (i) Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC); (ii) National Adaptation Plan (NAP); (iii) the Green Growth Strategy; and (iv) Carbon Market Framework. He said the Ministry desires that stakeholders, including financing institutions, recognise how they can enhance the implementation of these frameworks to achieve the country’s climate and green growth ambitions. Hon. Mposha said support in the Carbon Market and financing of green innovations in the energy, agriculture, and water sectors provide significant opportunities for the banking sector. He said these ventures will help the country chart pathways to sustainable and inclusive economic growth while improving environmental integrity. Hon. Mposha said he was therefore grateful that the collaboration with ABSA Bank PLC will result in a more sustainable environment that is conducive to both business and society. The Honourable Minister also called for partnerships on Electric Vehicles which could be branded by the sponsors and used by the Ministry for day to day activities to raise awareness on the use of Electric Vehicles. He said Government Ministries, schools should be installed with solar power to reduce dependency on hydro power And ABSA Bank PLC CEO Ms. Mizinga Melu said the Bank will continue raising awareness on issues of climate change and would see how the Bank can help contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change.    

  The Embassy of the Republic of Zambia to France is pleased to announce that Zambia will compete in the upcoming 47th WorldSkills Competition, a global platform for excellence and development of skills for young professionals, scheduled to take place from September 10 to 15, 2024, at Eurexpo in Lyon, France. The WorldSkills Competition is the largest Skills Competition in the world, organized biennially under the auspices of the WorldSkills International movement. Since its inception in 1954, the WorldSkills movement has united countries around the development of skills for young professionals, forming a foundation for economic growth and innovation. With a network comprising 89 members and connecting two thirds of the world’s population, the WorldSkills aims to inspire and support 100 million young people with skills by 2030. Through the various events organized, WorldSkills International tackles current economic issues and proposes concrete solutions by engaging young people, to demonstrate that vocational training paths are routes of excellence, professional success and personal fulfillment. The embassy is honoured to host Minister of Science and Technology, Honourable Felix Mutati who, accompanied by his Permanent Secretary Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu, will lead a 27-member delegation to the Competition. Apart from Hon Mutati and Dr. Habeenzu, the delegation comprises 6 officials, 10 experts and 11 competitors. The Zambian competitors are set to demonstrate their excellence and know-how in 10 skills including information network cabling, bricklaying, carpentry, mechanical engineering CAD and concrete construction. Others will be competing in digital construction, aircraft maintenance, welding, hairdressing and restaurant service. The WorldSkills Competition will draw 1,400 competitors from 70 countries, competing in 62 skills. Furthermore, 1,300 experts and 250,000 visitors are expected to attend the event, highlighting the significance of vocational skills on the global scale. The event will unfold in two parts: the WorldSkills Conference from September 11 to 12, followed by the WorldSkills Competition from September 11 to 14. As part of the program, Hon. Mutati and International Dignitaries are expected to join the Competition Tour on 11 September for private tours guided by WorldSkills International. The Minister and other International dignitaries are expected to also engage with young people worldwide, discussing the future of trades and vocational education during the International Youth Forum. Additionally, the Minister will hold bilateral meetings with national teams to share best practices and address strategic issues in vocational training and education. This initiative aligns with Zambia’s commitment to fostering skills development and economic growth through vocational training. Lyon is hosting the Competition for the second time since its inception, having hosted the first WorldSkills Competition in 1995. Meanwhile, Zambia will host the next WorldSkills Africa Competition in Livingstone in 2025. This initiative, officially adopted in February 2024 at the 37th Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, is dedicated to advancing vocational education and training across the continent. President Hakainde Hichilema emphasized that WorldSkills Africa will serve as a strategic platform to nurture and showcase young people’s skills and talent towards the realisation of agenda 2063, fostering partnerships and knowledge exchange that transcend borders.