Category Archives: Community News

The Fire brigade in Eastern Province has complained of using outdated fire tenders.
Provincial Focal Point Chief Fire Officer Fackson Mbewe told Breeze News that only Chipata Municipal Council has a Morden fire tender.
Mr. Mbewe says that this has created challenges in situations where other councils are unable to attend to emergency cases because of outdate fire tender.
He further explained that such cases are attended to by Chipata Fire Brigade officers.
Government has however, indicated that it has procured 14 fully equipped modern fire engines to be distributed to different councils in the country.

Eastern Province has been given about 700.4 million Kwacha for YDF, the Youth Development Fund.
Provincial Youth Development Coordinator, David Musonda has confirmed this to Breeze News.
Mr. Musonda says the amount is out of 11.8 billion Kwacha that has been allocated to all provinces in the country.
Mr. Musonda however, says that the money will be shared in three categories of which part of it is for grants and administration while the other is for loans.
He has advised youths to register for loans at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Child Development.
Mr. Musonda explained that youths who own enterprises, belong to youth cooperatives and youth groups, which are legally registered are the ones that qualify for the loans.

Financial challenges faced by Chipata Municipal Council have resulted in the local authority failing to meet some of its obligations.
Public Relations Officer, Taonga Kaonga says that it is not deliberate that the council has not been collecting garbage but finances have been inadequate.
Ms. Kaonga says that the situation has caused the council to be using a front end loader machine meant for rehabilitation of roads to collect garbage.
She says that currently, the same front end loader machine is busy working on some roads.
Ms. Kaonga however, says that the council will manage to collect garbage using the little resources they have from revenue collections.
And Ms. Kaonga says that there are a lot of areas where garbage has not been collected for a long time.
She was responding to reports that outbreak of waterborne diseases is imminent at Nabvutika Market, where garbage has not been collected for three months now.

Waterborne diseases are looming at Nabvutika Market in Chipata because of accumulating garbage, which has not been collected for three months.
Zone three Chairperson, Ignatius Ngoma told Breeze News that the garbage has started producing maggots, which are finding their way into the market stands.
Mr. Ngoma says that the outbreak of waterborne diseases like cholera is imminent, if the garbage is not removed immediately.
He wondered why the council is failing to remove the garbage when marketeers are consistent in paying levies.
Mr. Ngoma also says that previously the council was unable to collect garbage because they did not have a front end loader but that this is not the case as the local authority purchased a truck for garbage collection.
He has also appealed to the council management to ensure that council workers working in toilets at the market are given protective wear.
And when contacted for comment, Chipata Municipal Council Public Relations Officer, Taonga Kaonga said that she would give the council’s position on the matter later.

A five year old boy has drowned in Nyamalembo stream in Chadiza district.
Eastern Province Police Commissioner, Grace Chipalila confirmed the incident which happened yesterday is to Breeze News.
Ms. Chiplila says Sailota Zulu of Lumbe Village in Chief Mulolo who was in a company of his friends wanted to drink water from the stream when he slipped and fell into the water.
His body was retrieved by police officers.
Meanwhile a 43 year old man of Chipata district has been arrested for defiling a 12 year old girl.
Ms. Chipalila says that the identified man of Referendum area defiled the juvenile of the same area on Saturday around 18 hours.
Ms. Chipalila says that mother to the girl Maria Mwale of the same area reported the matter to the police who later picked up the suspect.

The Meteorological Department has warned of floods in valley areas of Eastern Province this rainy season.
Provincial Meteorological Officer, John Londolo has since advised people not to cultivate on lower lands or river banks.
Speaking to Breeze News, Mr. Londolo says people in Luembe area in Nyimba, Chikowa in Chief Jumbe’s area in Mambwe and Chama district are most likely to be affected.
He has further advised people in the province to avoid moving when it is raining to avoid being struck by lightening.
And Eastern province is expected to receive normal to above normal rainfall in the 2012-2013 farming season.
According to weather forecast for 2012 /2013 season made available to Breeze News, the province is likely to have normal rainfall from October to December this year.
Mr. Londolo explained that during February to March, 2013, the region is expected to have normal to above normal rainfall in most parts of the province.
Meanwhile, some parts of the province are expected to have showers this week.

Eastern Province Patriotic Front Party PF Information and Publicity Secretary, Mung’omba Ngoma has been appointed to serve in the foreign service.
PF Provincial Chairperson, Lucas Phiri says that Mr. Ngoma has been appointed to serve in Angola.
Mr. Phiri says that Mr. Ngoma is currently attending an orientation workshop in Lusaka.
And Mr. Phiri has also revealed that former MMD Chama North Member of Parliament, Darius Mumba has also been appointed to serve in the foreign mission.
Mr. Mumba who ditched the MMD to join PF was however, dropped from re-contesting the seat after PF opted to field January Zimba.
Mr. Phiri says that the PF in Eastern Province is happy that the duos who have worked hard for the party have been empowered with jobs.

Chipata Magistrate Court has sentenced two Magazine Compound former Residents Development Committee, RDC, members to one year two months imprisonment for illegal sell of Land and removing a beacon in Railways area.
Emmanuel Chamango former RDC, Chairperson and his former Secretary Thomas Banda were facing two charges of unlawful removal of a beacon and criminal trespass in Farm number D21, a property of Bela Devine.
Facts of the matter are that on unknown dates but between July, 1st, 2010 to July 18, 2011, the duo unlawfully trespassed and removed the beacon on Bela’s farm, land which is on title.
The two sold plots to several developers who started building illegally in the area.
And when passing Judgement, Magistrate Philip Mpunndu said selling of land illegally is on the increase not only in Chipata but countrywide.
Magistrate Mphundu said innocent people who are eager to develop have continued losing their money in the same way and the sentence should save as an example to would be offenders.

The Food Reserve Agency FRA still owes farmers in Eastern Province about 101 billion Kwacha.
Provincial Agriculture Coordinator, Dr. Obvious Kabinda confirmed this to Breeze News.
He however, says that government is working hard to ensure that all farmers get their money by January15th, 2012 which is the end of the planting season.
And FRA has purchased more than 8 million by 50 kilogram bags of maize at a cost of close to 563, billion Kwacha this year in Eastern Province.
Dr. Kabinda says that out of the maize bought, the province has only paid about 461 Billion Kwacha to farmers.
And Dr. Kabinda says that about 83 percent of the inputs under FISP, Famer Input Support Program have been distributed in the province.
He also indicated that 90 percent of the inputs allocated to the province have been received.