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Police says they have put all measures in place to ensure maximum security during this year’s Nc’wala Traditional Ceremony of the Ngoni people.
Deputy Commissioner of Police for Eastern Province Anderson Chengo says that a police post will be mounted at the arena with enough man power to ensure that the ceremony is crime free.
He says that people should work together with the police in avoiding crime cases during the ceremony.
Mr. Chengo also says that people should avoid cases of child abuse by ensuring that they take care of the children during the ceremony.
And Mr. Chengo has appealed to motorists to be extra careful when driving during the ceremony to avoid accidents.

A 25 year old woman of Mchini Compound in Chipata has drowned in Namuseche stream.
The woman, Nkhumbwi Sakala, drowned in the stream during yesterday`s heavy downpour.
Eastern Division Police Commissioner, Grace Chipalira, and Chief Fire Officer, Faxon Mbewe confirmed this to Breeze News.
Nkhumbwi drowned as she attempted to cross the stream.
Ms. Chipalila says the body of Nkhumbwi is laying in Chipata General Hospital mortuary awaiting burial.
And in a similar incident, Mrs Chipalira says a body of an unidentified man has been picked at Kanjala hills in Chipata.
She says that due to the decomposed state of the body, Police officers and officers from the council will be burying it today at Kapata cemetery.

Some police officers who went to provide security in Msanzala Constituency during by elections have complained of not being paid their allowances.
The officers who declined to be named alleged that the money was being withheld for unknown reasons.
They are demanding that they are paid the money immediately because they worked for it.
But when contacted, Eastern Province Police Commissioner, Grace Chipalira, said the officers were paid their money.
She, however, could not comment further on the matter, saying it is an administrative issue.

One hundred households have been affected by flash floods that hit Chikowa area in Chief Jumbe in Mambwe District.
Provincial Permanent Secretary, Hlobotha Nkunika confirmed the development to Breeze News.
Mr. Nkunika says that the flash floods that hit the area around 01 hours on Wednesday last week have left 600 people homeless.
He however, indicated that government through DMMU, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit has provided tents, food and Insecticide Treated Mosquito nets to the affected people.
Mr. Nkunika further explained that the affected people have moved out from the flood area to upper lands.
He says that DMMU has put on high alert to attend to any major calamity that may occur in Chief Jumbe’s area.
The permanent secretary however, expressed concern that the heavy rains experienced yesterday could cause other flash floods in the valley district of Mambwe.

Authorities at the Ministry of Education say pupils who are failing to meet extra school requirements should not be turned away from school.
And Provincial Education Officer, Philira Jere says that school administrators sending away pupils from school or refusing to allow pupils into class should be reported to her office.
Mrs. Jere told Breeze News that she is aware that authorities in some schools are asking for a lot of requirements apart from school fees.
She explained that pupils who manage to pay school fees should be allowed to start learning while their parents are trying to meet other requirements.
Mrs. Jere was responding to complaints from some parents that some school administrators are asking pupils for bags of cement.
And Mrs. Jere says that parents should not accept to give school requirements that have not been agreed upon in PTA, Parents Teachers Association meetings.
Last week, out-going Provincial minister, Solomon Mbuzi appealed to school administrators to allow pupils into class whose parents are still struggling to raise school fees.
Mr. Mbuzi pointed out the need for school administrators to understand that some parents are poor and need enough time to find money for school fees.

The directive by President Michael Sata to turn New Ukwimi Trades into a teachers college has cheered residents in Petauke district.
The residents spoken to by Breeze News, said the move will cut costs students incur to travel to Chipata Teachers College to pursue their teaching career.
He says more school leavers from rural areas far from Petauke and Nyimba will have easy access to the teaching college.
And District Commissioner, Elijah Mwale, says the move will increase the number of teachers in Petauke.
President Micheal Sata last week directed that New Ukwimi Trades be turned into a teachers training college.
Eastern Province currently has only one teachers college.

Police have charged MMD councillor for Mwangaila ward in Petauke District with the offence of canvassing for votes contrary to section 88 of the electoral code of conduct.

Davidson Tembo who was apprehended for allegedly distributing money to voters during the Msanzala parliamentary and local government by-elections voting day was charged with the offence for breaking the electoral code of conduct.

Eastern Province Commissioner of Police Grace Chipalila confirmed this to Breeze News.

Ms Chipalila said the councillor also spent his night in the lawful custody after being apprehended by Patriotic Front, PF, cadres who dragged him to police

On Thursday Mr Tembo was apprehended for alleged electoral malpractice.

Mr Tembo who has formally been charged was apprehended by PF cadres in Nyamphande area after being found dishing out money to electorates while voting was taking place in the Msanzala parliamentary and local government by elections.

The cadres dragged Mr Tembo to police where he was detained.

An audit being carried out on FRA, the Food Reserve Agency in Petauke district has revealed glaring irregularities in the manner the 2011 maize market was conducted.
In some cases, leafs of receipt books were found missing, according to Petauke District Commissioner, Elijah Mwale.
Mr. Mwale also says that ghost receipts were also issued to farmers.
He was speaking in an interview with Breeze News in Petauke.
And Mr. Mwale says a lot of maize which went to waste might be as a result of negligence by buyers to shield their illegal activities.
Mr. Mwale says that this is because rotten maize cannot be weighed.

The re-elected Member of Parliament for Msanzala Colonel Joseph Lungu has pledged full commitment to developing the area.
Colonel Lungu said this just after being declared winner of the Msanzala parliamentary by elections, which were characterized by voter apathy.
The MP, who has just been appointed Deputy Minister of Defence in-charge of Rural Development and Zambia National Service, says some people have served as MP in Msanzala but failed to deliver.
He says instead they have used people for personal gain.
Colonel Lungu says building more clinics and schools and working on roads will be his priorities on his development agenda.
And losing MMD candidate, Peter Daka refused to comment on the results of the by-elections while the other two candidates could not be reached for comment.

The business community in Eastern province has observed that the manner in which street vending is being conducted in Chipata, is slowly turning into a dangerous situation.
Speaking during a community business meeting in Chipata, Ayub Patel from Liberty Company complained that people are now trading from anywhere they feel like.
He said this is posing danger to people’s lives, as a serious accident could occur anytime.
Mr Patel said some members of the public have taken the president’s directive to allow street vending, to cause disorder.
He appealed to government to help in bringing sanity, as some of the places that are used are not suitable for trading.
And Eastern Province permanent secretary, Hlobotha Nkunika tasked the Chipata Municipal Council to bring sanity in town.
Mr Nkunika acknowledged that there is no order in the manner street vending is being conducted, as people are selling their merchandise anywhere.
He mentioned a place near Saturday Market on Umodzi Highway as one area where the council must bring orderliness.
Mr Nkunika also charged the council with the responsibility of ensuring that there is order in the manner taxi drivers pack their cars.