President Edgar Lungu Appoints Deputy Ministers

President Edgar Lungu

By Paul Shalala

President Edgar Lungu has announced a full list of Deputy Minister to complete the deployment of Members of Parliament to the remaining ministerial posts.

Over a week ago, President Lungu appointed and swore in Cabinet Ministers.

Below is the full list of the Deputy Ministers as posted by the State House Facebook page:

1. Office of the President 

1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Mulenga Sata, MP

2. Office of the Vice President
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Stephen Kampyongo, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Bwalya Chungu, MP

3. Ministry of Justice
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Keith Mukata, MP

Mulenga Sata

4. Ministry of Defence
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Christopher Mulenga

5. Ministry of Finance
1) Deputy Minister - Vacant

6. Ministry of Home Affairs
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Col. Panji Kaunda, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Col.Gerry Chanda, MP

7. Ministry of Health
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, MP

8. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Rayford Mbulu, MP

Richard Musukwa

9. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Monde Greyford, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Maxus Ng’onga

10. Ministry of Youth and Sport
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Ronald Chitotela, MP

11. Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Miles Sampa, MP

12. Ministry of Mines, Energy & Water Development
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Richard Musukwa, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Charles Zulu, MP

13. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Forrie Tembo, MP

Greyford Monde

14. Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education

1) Deputy Minister - Hon. David Mabumba, MP

15. Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Davis Mwango, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Suzan B. Kawandami MP

16. Ministry of Local Government and Housing
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Nicholas Banda, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Danny Chingembu, MP

17. Ministry of Tourism and Arts
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Patrick Ngoma, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Esther Banda, MP

Miles Sampa

18. Ministry of Labour and Social Security
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Alfreda Kansembe, MP

19. Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Obvious Chisala, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Josephine Limata, MP

20. Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Dr. Mutaba Mwali, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Richwell Siamunene, MP

21. Ministry of Gender and Child Development
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. Dorothy Kazunga, MP
2) Deputy Minister - Hon. Col. Joseph Lungu, MP

22. Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs
1) Deputy Minister - Hon. John Kufuna, MP

UPND To Picket Parliament Over 'Rebel' MPs

Greyford Monde

Richwell Siamunene

By Paul Shalala

The opposition UPND has notified the Zambia Police Service that its youths from Kabwata Constituency will picket parliament on 19th September to protest against two of its lawmakers who are serving as Deputy Ministers in the Patriotic Front-led government.

UPND Kabwata Constituency Information and Publicity Secretary Edmond Lifwekelo says the protest is against Itezhi-Tezhi MP Greyford Monde and his Sinazongwe counterpart Richwell Siamunene.

"Thee two Honourable MPs must know that they are in parliament because of the UPND and they must not insult HH who adopted them to contest elections in 2011," he said.

Mr Lifwekelo says youths from Kabwata want to protest against the two lawmakers' recent utterances against party president Hakainde Hichilema.

In his letter to the Police Lusaka Division Headquarters, Mr Lifwekelo assured that the protest will be peacefully. 

Mr Monde is serving as Agriculture and Livestock Deputy Minister while Mr Siamunene is Western Province Minister.

The two MPs have already been expelled by the UPND but they have challenged their expulsion in court.

Agriculture Liberates Thousands From Poverty, Claims Zambian Government Official

  By Paul Shalala in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Agriculture Deputy Minister Greyford Monde (below) says thousands of women and youths have been liberated from poverty through government's deliberate policy of encouraging people to venture into agriculture.

Mr Monde says through the Farmer Input Support Programme -FISP and the Citizen's Economic Empowerment Commission -CEEC Funds, government has deliberately helped women and youths to be empowered and thereby helping them move out of poverty.

He adds that women and youths are an integral part of government's development agenda and the thousands who have been liberated from poverty have been economically empowered to be self reliant.

The Itezhi-Tezhi Member of Parliament said this when he appeared on a panel discussion at the on-going Joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture which is taking place at the African Union Headquarters.

Mr Monde says the Zambian government has also come up with a deliberate policy that encourages college graduates to venture into agriculture at a tender age.

He says entering agriculture when one has retired from employment is not productive as one's energy would have already been lost.

The two day Joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries and Aquaculture which opened this morning, has attracted ministers from all African countries.

Mr MONDE is representing the Zambia government together with Local Government Deputy Minister Nicholas Mwale.

Zambia Calls For Affordable Food Prices

By Paul Shalala in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Zambian government says there is need for African states to find better strategies that will make food prices affordable to all Africans on the continent.

Leader of the Zambian delegation to the three day meeting of Senior officials meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries in Ethiopia, Derrick Sikombe says the strategies must also ensure that there is price stability and stability of income for farmers.

Mr Sikombe, who is also Chief Agricultural Economist in the Ministry of Agriculture in Zambia, says there is also need to provide services such as electricity, water and sanitation in rural areas in order for agricultural production to be increased.

He said this when he addressed the plenary session of the senior officials meeting at the African Union Headquarters this morning.

Mr Sikombe added that knowledge and skills in food processing and preservation must be made readily available in Africa so that people engaged in agriculture can help increase productivity.

Meanwhile, Uganda has called on African countries to enact laws that will regulate and promote nutrition in all AU-member states.

According to the submission by the Ugandan delegation to the meeting, enforcing laws such as guiding each district to produce a minimum amount of a certain crop can help boost nutrition levels in each country.

And the Zimbabwean delegation has proposed the prioritization of strategic food reserves as a way of ensuring food security.

According to Zimbabwe, food reserves maintain a balance in times of need and therefore governments must spend more money in maintaining them. 

But Sierra Leone has complained that most of its youths who are based in urban areas are shunning the villages due to lack of basic services.

The Sierra Leonean delegation says since the country emerged from war over a decade ago, basic services are non-existent in rural areas and youths can not take part in agriculture because they do not like rural areas.

The three day senior officials meeting has attracted agricultural officials from all African countries who are preparing resolutions that will be adopted by Agricultural ministers during the Joint Ministerial Conference on Agriculture which will take place on Thursday and Friday this week in Ethiopia.

Agriculture Ministers from across Africa are later this week expected to converge at the African Union headquarters to discuss agricultural issues as part of the Year of Agriculture and Food Security.

Zambia will be represented by Agriculture Deputy Minister Greyford Monde who is expected in Ethiopia tomorrow.

Spending On Agriculture up 7% After CAADP Launch

By Paul Shalala in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The African Union has disclosed that public spending on agriculture in Africa has risen by over 7% following intensive efforts by the continental body to boost the agricultural sector through initiatives like the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, says the increase in spending is commendable but much more must be done on the continent.

She adds that for transformative growth to be realised through the agriculture sector, the marginalised, vulnerable, women and young people must be taken care of so that no one is left out.

Ms Tumusiime says AU-member states must ensure they tackle all challenges in order for transformative growth to take place on the continent.

She says 2014 being the year for Agriculture and Food Security, more needs to be done to ensure that this sector which employs over 75% of Africa's workers improves livelihoods and transforms lives.

Ms Tumusiime said this during the official opening of the three day senior officials meeting on agriculture, rural development, fisheries and aquaculture at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this morning.

Meanwhile, the meeting has attracted experts, government officials and organisations from across the African continent who are expected to come up with a policy framework and recommendations ahead of the Joint Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries and Aquaculture which will take place from first to second May this year.

Senior officials and experts from Zambia's Ministry of Agriculture are also attending the senior officials meeting.

Zambia's Agriculture Deputy Minister Greyford Monde is expected in Addis Ababa on Wednesday to represent Zambia at the joint ministerial conference.

Mr Monde, together with other Ministers of Agriculture from across the continent, are expected to adopt recommendations from the senior officials meeting that are expected to boost agriculture on the continent.

The African Union has declared 2014 as the year for Agriculture and Food Security and several activities have been lined up to press member states to prioritise agriculture.

The theme for the year of agriculture is Transforming Africa's agriculture for shared prosperity and improved livelihoods through harnessing opportunities for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

This year, the continental body is also taking stock of CAADP which was launched in 2003.

40 countries have so far embraced CAADP and signed the compact.

In June this year, the African Union heads of state summit is expected to adopt targets that are aimed at accelerating agriculture on the continent.