Zambia has recorded 208 new cases of Covid-19 out of 903 tests conducted.
196 of these cases are from 247 tests conducted in Nakonde district while the remaining 12 are from Chirundu involving truck drivers.
This brings the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases to 654, including 7 deaths and 124 recoveries.
Government says the completion of some infrastructure developmental projects in the country will delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The poor state in which the Lundazi Chipata Road is has continued raising concerns.
Breeze FM Reporter Grace Lungu now reports.
Breeze FM founder and Managing Director Mike Daka has challenged journalists to develop a culture of reading books.
Speaking when he featured on Radio Phoenix’s Book Club radio programme this morning, Mr. Daka stated that the quality of writing will remain poor if journalists do not develop an interest in reading books.
Mr. Daka also advised journalists to develop a culture of serving and investing, which most media people do not do, so that they can prepare properly for their retirement.
And Mr. Daka observed that print media including those in other parts of the world have started struggling due to competition from social media.
He however, stated that radio still has a long time to survive the competition from social media as long as they understand who they are broadcasting to, who they are writing for and the needs of their audience.
Mr. Daka further stated that radio in Africa has a great opportunity to survive because most ordinary people cannot manage the costs associated with being online meaningfully.
He also observed that despite social media being a threat, it lacks meaningful content that can assist people in their lives.
And Mr. Daka took the opportunity to advise people to buy his book titled “A journalist in pursuit of three freedoms”.
He explained that those that would read the book would find it interesting and learn from it, as the book looks at various issues in his life, which have made him successful as a journalist, trainer, administrator, a businessman and a farmer.
Seventeen suspects of Mchini Compound in Chipata who were charged with conduct likely to cause the breach of peace yesterday appeared in the Chipata Magistrate Court for mention.
James Banda and 16 others who appeared before Magistrate Moses Phiri participated in the riot that broke out in Mchini last month, after the death of a Magazine resident.
Magistrate Phiri has set September 23rd 2019 as a day for commencement of trial.
He said the suspects will remain in custody, until they meet the bail conditions. Each suspect is required to pay 500 Kwacha cash and present two working sureties, attracting a sum of 5,000 Kwacha in their own recognizance.
The Ministry of Agriculture has reviewed modalities to be used under the 2018- 2019 conventional system of input distribution.
Agriculture Marketing Directed Kezia Mbita Chityamba says the ministry has targeted a total of one million farmers to benefit from the 2018-2019 farming season countrywide.
Mrs. Chityamba says farmers will still be required to deposit their contribution the way it was done under the electronic voucher card.
She explained that farmers under the conventional system will get three bags of D Compound fertilizer, three bags of Urea and a ten kg bag of maize seed of different varieties.
Mrs. Chityamba adds that additional packs of groundnuts, Sorghum and Soya beans will be given to farmers, in a continued effort to promote variation in the agriculture sector.
She was speaking in a separate interview with journalists at the 2018-2019 Farmer Input Support Program FISP sensitization meeting in Chipata yesterday.
ZAMPOST Postmaster General Mcpherson Chanda has been suspended with immediate effect.
This is to pave way for investigations relating to the administration of the Social Cash Transfer Scheme.
Mr. Chanda has been suspended together with the Director Finance Best Mwaichi, Director Operations Isaac Kamwimba, and Assistant Director Operations Moses Musonda.
ZAMPOST Board Chairperson Musenga Musukwa confirmed the development in a statement to the media.
Mr. Musukwa said a Special Board Meeting was held to discuss the administration of the social cash transfer scheme and resolved to suspend the officers in management for a period of SIX months.
He explained that the Board has resolved to appoint an interim management team, with Brighton Ngoma as Postmaster General , Stanely Phiri Director Operations and Ms Dorothy Mulenga as Finance Director.
The Zambian Kwacha is now trading at more than 11 Kwacha against the United States dollar.
The country’s currency is struggling to maintain its stability against other convertible currencies.
A check by Breeze Business News, found that the United States dollar is buying at 11 Kwacha 14 Ngwee and selling at 11 Kwacha 35 Ngwee.
The British Pound is buying at 14 Kwacha 70 Ngwee and selling at 14 Kwacha 98 Ngwee.
The Euro is buying at 13 Kwacha 4 Ngwee and selling at 13 Kwacha 29 Ngwee while the South Africa Rand is buying at 77 Ngwee and selling at 78 Ngwee.
The poor performance of the Kwacha this week has already worried the business sector that fear it might have an adverse effect on the economy.
