African champions Zambia on the rise

By John Chola Lusaka, Zambia, February 15, 2012 The Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, which closed last Sunday, has clearly left its mark on the current edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, as Zambia, the newly crowned African champions, secured their first-ever title and have thus climbed to 43rd position. This is the first time since February 2001 that the team, coached by French man Hervé Renard (below, have made it into the top 50. Despite their extremely narrow defeat in the final, Côte d’Ivoire (15th, up 3) remains Africa’s highest-ranked team. Aside from the two finalists, third-placed Mali (44th, up 25) as well as host nations Gabon (45th, up 46) and Equatorial Guinea (110th, up 41) have clearly gained considerable ground. Changes are also to be seen in the top ten, with Germany (2nd, up 1) bumping the Netherlands out of second place to take up position behind Spain, and Portugal (6th, up 1) and Italy (8th, up 1) also making some headway. Denmark have moved into the top ten (10th, up 1), pushing Argentina down to 11th position. All of these changes in ranking are due to the devaluation of matches from previous years as no top-ten team has played a match in the last month. The balance of power between the confederations remains relatively unchanged: UEFA has 27 teams in the top 50 (down 1), CONMEBOL has 9, CAF 6, CONCACAF 4 (up 1), the AFC 4 and the OFC 0. The results of 51 international matches have been taken into account in compiling the current edition of the ranking, of which 32 took place as part of the Africa Cup of Nations and 19 were friendly matches. Management summary • Leader Spain (uchanged) • Moves into top ten Denmark (10th, up 1) • Moves out of top ten Argentina (11th, down 1) • Matches played in total 51 • Most matches played Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia (8 matches each) • Biggest move by points Gabon (up 230 points) • Biggest move by ranks Gabon (up 46 ranks) • Biggest drop by points Egypt (down 153 points) • Biggest drop by ranks Egypt, Senegal (down 25 ranks each) • Newly ranked teams none • Teams that are no longer ranked none • Inactive teams (not ranked) none The next FIFA/Coca-Cola Ranking will be published on 7 March 2012, one week earlier than originally planned. Ranking as of 15 February 2012 according to FIFA Communications & Public Affairs Division: Rank Team +/- Ranks Points +/- Points Jan-Feb 12 Feb 12 Jan-Feb 12 1 Spain 0 1566 +2 2 Germany +1 1369 +24 3 Netherlands -1 1359 -6 4 Uruguay 0 1317 +8 5 England 0 1179 +6 6 Portugal +1 1155 +55 7 Brazil -1 1152 +9 8 Italy +1 1115 +33 9 Croatia -1 1101 +10 10 Denmark +1 1090 +58 Ends.....////

Zambia are new champions of Africa

By John Chola – 13 /02/ 2012 Zambia clinched their first African Nations Cup crown with a emotional penalty shoot-out win over Ivory Coast. And since the winning penalty last night the whole Zambia has gone wild. People from different towns in Zambia have thronged the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport awaiting to receive their national team scheduled to touch down in 30 minutes time (15:30 hours local time). The main capital city Lusaka and its surrounding compounds and townships have been deserted as people queue up to receive their football heroes. Nineteen years after a plane crash which killed 18 members of their squad in Libreville, the Chipolopolo (Copper bullets) returned to the Gabon capital to record the most famous victory in the country's history. A dramatic shoot-out at the end of 120 minutes of largely underwhelming football went the way of Zambia when Gervinho shot wide and Stophira Sunzu stepped up to slot home. The final proved a tale of penalty woe for Ivory Coast, chasing their first continental crown for 20 years, with Didier Drogba also failing from the spot during the 90 minutes. But the win was ultimately no more than Zambia deserved for a plucky display against the odds. The underdogs started brightly and almost claimed a second-minute lead, Nathan Sinkala's low drive superbly saved by Ivory Coast goalkeeper Boubacar Barry low to his right. Zambia coach Frenchman Herve Renard was forced into a reshuffle after 11 minutes when defender Joseph Musonda was forced from the field in tears after catching his knee in the turf when making a challenge.

Nyambe Mulenga came on but the change did not disrupt the Zambians' flow, with Chisamba Lungu looping a header narrowly over two minutes later. It took Ivory Coast's star-studded line-up 30 minutes to create a noteworthy chance, a clever backheel from Drogba picking out Yaya Toure but the Manchester City midfielder failing to find the target from eight yards. The match degenerated into a scrappy affair after half-time with neither side able to put together a period of sustained pressure. But in a rare moment of quality, Gervinho provided Drogba with the chance to redeem himself for his penalty shoot-out miss in the 2006 final defeat to Egypt. The Arsenal forward burst into the area and was felled by a combination of Isaac Chansa and Mulenga, but Drogba sidefooted his spot-kick horribly over the bar. The Elephants had another chance to win it in normal time but substitute Max Gradel, having turned his man inside the area, shot inches wide of the far post. Zambia also had a late chance with a wonderful tackle from Kolo Toure preventing Emmanuel Mayuka from getting a shot on goal when he was well placed. Zambia had the only chance in the first period of extra-time and it almost resulted in the opening goal. Felix Katongo beat his marker down the right and crossed for brother Christopher, whose close-range shot would have sneaked in at the near post but for a vital touch from Barry's boot. Ivory Coast had two chances to win it after the break but Didier Ya Konan curled an effort just wide while, after 117 minutes, Gradel took an airshot when well placed. The shoot-out was locked at 7-7 after 14 nerveless penalties before Kolo Toure saw his effort saved by Kennedy Mweene. Rainford Kalaba fluffed his big moment by shooting over the bar but there was no second reprieve when Gervinho missed and Sunzu slotted in. Ends…./// ESPN Star.

Zambia remains a source for women and children trafficking.

................ as Law Enforcement Officers Train to Implement Counter Trafficking Law By John Chola Lusaka, Zambia - February 10, 2012 Zambia has continued being used as a source, transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking across the world. This is despite Zambia having enacted its first anti human trafficking legislation four years ago. According to the US State Department’s 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report, albeit Zambia enactment the 2008 anti-trafficking law, its implementation has been challenging. IOM Zambia Chief of Mission Andrew Choga says his organisation is committed to supporting the government in the implementation of the law. He was speaking when IOM conducted a training of trainers (ToT) for law enforcement officers in Zambia, using a newly developed handbook on the country’s 2008 Anti-Human Trafficking Act.

The five-day training, held at the National Police Training College in the capital Lusaka was designed to provide participants with the necessary skills to train other law enforcement officers on how to implement Zambia’s anti-human trafficking law. Choga says the course focused on the need for sensitivity in dealing with victims of human trafficking. Eighteen law enforcement officers from the Zambia Police, the Department of Immigration and the Ministry of Home Affairs Research and Planning Unit (HARID) received the training. The training handbook was developed by IOM in close coordination with the Law Enforcement Expert Group, composed of law enforcement officers from the Zambian Ministry of Home Affairs and other relevant institutions, brought together specifically for this purpose. The handbook includes chapters on the definition of trafficking in persons, victim identification and treatment, human trafficking investigation, as well as case studies and practical exercises. The trained officers will in turn train 100 additional officers across the country, with support from IOM. Ends......////

Minister of Commerce Trade and Industry Robert Sichinga lied?

By Staff writter - 08/02/12 Recentry Commerce, Trade and Indury Minister Robert Sichinga was reported to have said that the former ruling MMD printed fake Kwacha in China ammounting to K3 trillion. I thought this was quite an awesome story. As a careful Journalist though never posted the story online. I told the Minister that I needed to see some of the fake Kwacha shown to me by him. He hasent yet done so. I approached some of the commercial banks in a bid that I could show me part of the Sichinga contraband, they couldn't and then I announced was about to loose confidence in the Reserve Bank which I have delt with for over 10 years as one of my best sources of information. Now yesterday the bank officially told me personally that it is not aware of any fake Kwacha printed in China and injected into the market illegally. If this is done would shock or distort the money markets. I am now left wondering whether Minister Sichinga will rank among those who like terming me a Journalist who can never just get whatever an official says as gospel truth but keeps asking unnecessary questions to verify the authentisit of their raw informatio or data. Will Minister Sichinga blame me if I throw it right in his face that I no longer have confidence in him? That I actually hate liers like him? That he is not fit to hold a government ministerial position as he is uncredible? That every time he will speak I will never take him serious as he is now tossed into the same basket where some of those he accused now belong? That I have statrted loosing confidence in the whole PF government because of statement such as his? That whatever the Ministers pronnounce have a great pottential of being lies? Will he blame me for regarding him one of a type of Fake Economists who dream speak without considering any reality of what they say? Will Minister Sichinga blame citizens of Zambia of propagatting hatrade against him and the overwhelmingly voted for PF government if they passed a vote of no confidence because of statement such as his and ask him to step aside to face personal litigations resulting from officially refuted pronnouncements? Am just wondering also if his ba Sebele - the President- dropped him until his now refuted claims are substantiated would he complain? I mean how could just Bob make such a statement from without and for what? Aren't these types of politics thrown into the bin by Zambians since September 2011? I thought as Minister Bob who I have interviewed countless times now in my career and sort of respected to be meticulous would only make pronnouncements after verifying everything and interogating issues propery! Are these not the same things he would go to town about when he was independent MP, consultant and opposition UPND? So can we still ask him as Journalists to really substantiate his earlier claims and prove the Authority on monetary matters - Reserve bank - wrong so that we can loose complete confidence in the colleagues we have lots of respect for at Central bank? Ohhh! I hear that now he has been sued by those he accused.

Zambia’s Competition and Consumer Protection unit tips manufacturers ……..as large mines shun inefficient local suppliers.

By John Chola – January 4, 2012. Zambia’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has found that the mining companies that sought merger authorizations from it are complying with the law and conditions given to them. CCPC Executive Director Chilufya Sampa says among the conditions given to the mining companies were that the merged entities should honour agreements that the firms had entered into with local suppliers to the mines before the merger. Earlier the Commission demanded that the merged entities should take reasonable steps to ensure that jobs and investments were created by virtue of the transactions being authorised. The Commission has meanwhile committed to continue monitoring not only the mining sector but every other sector that has competition concerns to ensure that a level playing field is created. Meanwhile Sampa has told this newswire that the Commission and Consumer Protection Commission has over the last few months received a number of complaints from mine suppliers, that most of the major mine contracts are given to foreign firms and not local firms. Following the complaints CCPC from January 9, to 20th, 2012 undertook a tour of the Copperbelt and North Western Provinces to verify and have first hand information on these allegations. The Commission has since learnt that mines give most contracts to foreign owned companies owing to Zambia’s lack of a large manufacturing base. He says the local mine suppliers rely on manufacturers outside the country making them uncompetitive because they compete with authorised distributors of these goods or the original manufacturer of the goods. “For as long as Zambians do not take to manufacturing their own equipment, the mines will always favour importing from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) because they are cheaper”, the CCPC Executive Director observed. The Commission team had several meetings with different mines and relevant stakeholders including the mine suppliers. Sampa says the Commission noted that most mine suppliers do not have adequate capital making them to usually rely on a down payment before they could supply any goods. In addition, it has been observed that since local suppliers do not have well established distribution networks with the Original Equipment Manufacturers, they usually fail to provide goods and services in good time. “I would encourage the Zambia Association Manufactures and all other mine suppliers to seriously consider setting up manufacturing plants for some of the products being supplied to the mines. In a liberal economy, you do not necessarily need to wait for Government to tell you what you should do but for the private sector to recognize market niches and take advantage of such openings”, Sampa said. End….//

Julius Malema loose Appeal

By John Chola - January 4, 2012. The suspension of former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema and five other youth league members has been upheld. The ANC's national disciplinary committee of appeal chaired by Cyril Ramaphosa announced the verdict a while ago. Malema, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer-general Pule Mabe, secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa, deputy secretary-general Kenetswe Mosenogi and spokesperson Floyd Shivambu were suspended from the ANC last year. A disciplinary committee found them guilty of sowing division within the ANC and of bringing the party into disrepute. This is partly as a result of comments made on bringing about regime change in Botswana. Arguing before the NDCA against the suspensions, they submitted that they had not been given a chance to argue in mitigation of their sentences. They contended that ANC disciplinary committee members, including Chairperson Derek Hanekom and Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu, should have recused themselves because they had publicly disagreed with the ANCYL's positions on land reform and the nationalisation of mines. They also held that the verdict and sanctions relied on an outdated section of the ANCYL constitution. Now that they have lost the appeal, they could refer the matter to the ANC's national executive committee, seek to have the elective conference in Mangaung review the suspensions, or head to the courts. The sentence has been referred back for mitigation. Courtesy of Kaya FM, M&G reporter and Sapa