No322 K10 www.diggers.news Wednesday December 5, 2018 200 COPS CUT FROM TRAFFIC Heads roll as Police Command By Mirriam Chabala Head quarters, 39 at Lusaka Division The Police Command has directed the and 14 in Central Province. Others are transfer of over 200 officers across the 42 from the Ndola Traffic section on the country from the traffic section to general Copperbelt Province while 39 are from duties with immediate effect. Kitwe, 18 from Luanshya district and nine The affected officers include 30 at Service from Chingola among others. fights corruption To page 4 Lungu will go on another vacation soon, says Amos By Zondiwe Mbewe reshuffles to his Cabinet, saying an impromptu ZNBC Special President Edgar Lungu’s it’s still intact. Interview programme, Special Assistant for Press Chanda was peaking during Tuesday,. To page 10 and Public Relations Amos Chanda says the Head of State can be within Zambia but still designate another person to act Kawandami proves govt on his behalf. And Chanda has revealed wrong, shows receipt of that President Lungu will take another vacation within this festive season, but hastened to payment for furniture add that he is well. By Sipilisiwe Ncube Meanwhile, Chanda has The Ministry of Works and Supply has angered former Felix Mutati’s MMD national secretary Raphael Nakacinda delivers his maiden speech to dispelled rumours that Traditional Affairs minister Susan Kawandami for alleging Parliament after President Edgar Lungu nominated him MP - Picture by Kanchele Kanche President Lungu has made that she was owing government for furniture. To page 10 We’ve had enough of PF - Chipimo Mwenya Musenge loses Kafue PF By Mirriam Chabala enough of President Lungu and the PF. NAREP president Elias Chipimo says he feels Meanwhile, Chipimo has wondered member sorry for the PF because the Constitutional whether the PF leadership is comprised election petition case Court’s upcoming ruling on President of thieves of leaders, saying he does not Story page 2 Edgar Lungu’s eligibility to contest elections understand how they find it easy to steal sues SG in 2021 has put them in a difficult situation. money when they cannot steal ideas from And Chipimo says the people have had the opposition. To page 5 We don’t expect ConCourt for illegal By Sipilisiwe Ncube to disqualify Lungu - UPND Works and Supply PS Agnes elections Lukulu wants change of govt - ImendaTo page 11 Story page 4 Story page 11 Musunga has told PAC that some cabinet ministers and ex-ministers owe government over K254,000 for furniture they bought on offer in 2016, 2017. 2. Local News www.diggers.news Wednesday December 5, 2018 Mopani explains staff layoffs By Abraham Kalito been communicated to Mopani Copper Mines Plc employees and the unions,” has refuted and described read the statement issued as inaccurate, reports that from Kitwe, Tuesday. the company is currently “46 of the employees, retrenching huge numbers who applied and met of staff due to the high cost the criteria for voluntary of doing business. separation of service, were In a statement yesterday, released in November, the company stated that it 2018. Our priority for was constantly reviewing now remains to optimise operational costs ensure operations and ensure we the company can continue have a mine that provides operating efficiently, safely a return on investment and and sustainably. long-term benefits for all Mopani, the Kitwe-based stakeholders. The stories Glencore subsidiary, currently circulating, explained that it had reporting large numbers launched a Voluntary of retrenchments are Separation of Service inaccurate. We are looking exercise two months forward to the fruition ago for employees who of our investments wanted to take a voluntary in three new shafts separation package or go (Synclinorium, Mindola on early retirement. Deeps and Henderson This comes amidstShaft in Mufulira) and a reports that the mining new concentrator. Once giant was laying off non- all projects are fully essential staff in response commissioned, we will to the rising cost of doing improve our production business in a competitive levels, efficiencies and environment characterized safety, in addition to by lacklustre copper extending the life of the prices on the international mines.” Lands minister Jean Kapata with other delegates at the Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland market. The heightened speculation of mass redundancies has compelled several stakeholders, such as the Musenge loses election petition appeal National Democratic By Zondiwe Mbewe Mutale as Chimwemwe he was at nomination and stated that he was voting for a candidate of Congress (NDC), who The ConstitutionalConstituency member of and election time, a not a member of PF at the their choice. have advised Mopani to Court has dismissed parliament, was valid. PF member who had a time of the the elections. “We find that grounds reconsider the downsizing of its workforce. NDC Secretary General Mutale stood as an position of Constituency In its judgement, the one, two, three and “Mopani Copper Mines Mwenya Musenge’s independent candidate Chairperson and that Kitwe High Court ruled four have no merit and Plc can confirm that we election petition appeal and polled 14,695 votes although he had tendered in favour of Mutale and therefore, the entire have continued reviewing for lack of merit. while Musenge, who in his resignation declared him duly elected appeal fails and we the costs throughout The Court has since stood on the PF ticket, letter, he pledged to member of parliament. dismiss it,” said justice the life cycle of our upheld Kitwe High polled 9,111 votes. campaign for the PF But Musenge Palan Mulonda who operation to ensure the Court’s judgement Dissatisfied with thePresidential candidate consequently appealed to delivered the judgment on company can continue and declared Mwila results, Musenge appealed and its councilors in the the Constitutional Court. behalf of Constitutional to operate efficiently,Mutale as duly elected the election results, Constituency, which he However, in their ruling, Court President Hilda safely and sustainably in member of parliament seeking a declaration did. Constitutional Court Chibomba and Judges the face of the current for Chimwemwe that Mutale was not duly Musenge had further judges found that there Annie Sitali, Mungeni high operational costs. In constituency. elected, that his election alleged electoral was no convincing Mulenga and Enoch October 2018, Mopani In this matter, Musenge was null and void and malpractices and accused evidence to support Mulembe. launched a Voluntary appealed to the that, his seat should be the Electoral Commission the assertion that the He said Musenge needed Separation of Service exercise for employees who Constitutional Court declared vacant. of Zambia of allowing election malpractices by to have adduced cogent wished to take a voluntary against the Kitwe He alleged that Mutale was Mutale to contest the Mutale and his agents evidence to show the effect separation package or go High Court’s decision not qualified for election elections despite receiving were widespread and of proved malpractices on on early retirement. We dated November 23, as an MP under Article complaints against him. that the majority of the the electorates. have been open about 2016, in which it held 51 (a) of the Constitution However, Mutale had electorates might have Justice Mulonda further this process, which has that the election of as amended, because denied the allegations been prevented from said the evidence on record did not in the view of the court, satisfy the standard of proof set for election petition. “We therefore agree with Soldier in court for murder the trial judge’s findings By Zondiwe Mbewe the charge awaiting committal to February this year. allocated to Magistrate Mulenga. as regards the proved act A 43-year-old soldier of Lusaka’s the High Court. Particulars of the offence allege Meanwhile, a 27-year-old of character assassination, Army Headquarters has been And a 33-year-old businessman that the accused, on February man of Chainda Compound that it had not been dragged to court for murder. has been dragged to court for 17, Lusaka, did assault Mutinta has appeared in the Lusaka proved to a high degree of It is alleged that Likando allegedly assaulting Oracle Media Bumba Mazoka M’membe, Magistrates’ Court for assaulting convincing clarity so that Akelekwa of C16 Army proprietor Mutinta M’membe, thereby occasioning her actual his mother. it could be sufficiently Headquarters, on November 11, thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm. It is alleged that Ignatius concluded that the voters this year, murdered Margaret bodily harm. When the matter came up for Musonda, unemployed, assaulted were or may have been Chilufya. In this matter, Lingsen allocation, Mwamwembe was Foster Musonda on November prevented from voting for Akelekwa will appear in court Mwamwembe, 33, is alleged not before Court. 28, this year, thereby occasioning their preferred candidate” on Wednesday for explanation of to have assaulted Mutinta, in The matter has, however, been her actual bodily harm. said Justice Mulonda said. Wednesday December 5, 2018 www.diggers.news Local News .3 Ministry officials in finger-pointing agony as they face PAC over misapplied K1.8m By Sipilisiwe Ncube According to the audit query, am saying going forward, that’s my view and I am Head of Procurement for misapplying the funds Officers from the Ministry the ministry misapplied we will do what is required well informed that you are Chibuye Zulu at this point and assured the committee of Gender on Monday funds amounting to of the ministry in terms of new in this ministry but chipped in to supplement that the mistake would not kept shifting the blame to K1,889,167.93 that were seeking authority to vary however I want to know the responses and in doing repeat itself.