ZP detains model accusing Trade Kings staff of soliciting sex

Zambia Police Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga has disclosed that the upcoming model who accused a Trade Kings staff for soliciting sex in exchange for a K50,000 contract has been detained.

Hamoonga said Daniella Chimenga has been detained because she is not being cooperative in the on going investigation regarding the screenshots she posted on her Facebook account which allege that a Trade Kings staff solicited sex in exchange for a deal.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times -ZBT, Hamoonga explained that the upcoming model is failing to disclose the identity of the person that solicited sex in exchange for a deal adding that if she does not identify the person she is accusing she is likely to become the accused.

“Unfortunately she seems not to be cooperative meaning that she may end up being a suspect herself because if you post something on social media and it is bordering on tarnishing someone’s image and we question you to find out who the person that might have done that is and you are not cooperating, it’s either the allegations have been bordering on lies or otherwise”, he said.

“When you say that somebody wanted to have sex with me and then we ask you who is this person and then you say I don’t know so it means now you become the accused because you are tarnishing the image of that person you are accusing”, Hamoonga added.

He stressed that Chimenga needs to have proof of her claims or she becomes the suspect herself.

Zambia Police Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga has disclosed

Model accuses Trade Kings staff of soliciting sex in exchange for media deal

Upcoming Lusaka based model has revealed that a Trade Kings Media team staff member requested for sex from her in exchange of a media deal, a contract which she rejected and ended up not being engaged.

Daniella Chimenga disclosed that she had been chasing the deal since last year November 2021 when Trade Kings management saw her art work that was first published by vlogger Simon Mwewa’s lane social media page where the art work was posted, which eventually attracted the interest of Trade Kings.

The model stated that Trade Kings Management liked the advert before referring her to the Media Director – James Songwe, who requested her to redo the shot to correct certain errors adding that the pictures were meant to be used for a Vatra campaign advert and as such, they were not to be shared before work is executed.

In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, the model revealed that she had shared the requested photos with the Trade Kings media director as instructed, who later did not share the pictures with his team resulting into the team selecting different pictures to use for the Vatra (Bottled Water Brand name under Trade Kings) Campaign Advert.

“Mr. James stopped picking my phone calls, so I was unable to set up an appointment with him, he only called me back after learning that I had visited his office unannounced and his team disclosed to me that he never shared my work with them, so that it can be evaluated in readiness for the K50,000 contract”, she said.

She further stated that on the phone call the Media Director [James Songwe] blasted her and stated that he should not be bothered adding that he has never slept with her nor has she ever seen his genitals or broke your virginity.

Daniella said that “it was  after Mr. Songwe blasted her that another member of his team known as Michael contacted her through WhatsApp and promised her to have her art work selected by Trade kings for the Vatra Campaign but only in exchange of Sex stating that there is nothing for free”.

When ZBT reached out to James Songwe, he stated that the matter has since been reported to the police and that investigations are currently underway to find out who exactly what behind the solicitation for sex in exchange for the K50,000 media contract from the model.

The allegations against the trade kings staff by an upcoming model may become damaging if proved to be right. Trade kings is big on advertising and has various brands and advertising deals that risk being damaged. Police high command has also been urged to do independent investigations and ensure that the truth comes out.

Upcoming Lusaka based model has revealed that

Bar owners blame law enforcers for increase in alcohol abuse cases

The Bars and Night Clubs Owners Association of Zambia says there is need to curb the illegal sale of alcohol, as it is the cause of alcohol abuse in the country, which has grave consequences.

Association President Peter Mwale said the association is aware of the alcohol abuse going on in the country, which is largely due to illicit beer practices therefore the relevant authorities should deal with the matter.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Mwale said there is need to enforce, regulate and monitor the sale of alcohol in order to uproot the people who are selling illicit alcohol.

He noted that alcohol abuse is a problem that has been there time immemorial and the country has adequate laws to deal with the issue therefore the relevant authorities should step up their efforts to deal with the matter adding that the problem is with law enforcement agencies who are not doing their job.

Mwale added that alcohol abuse is largely due to illicit beer brews like kachasu therefore the authority should turn up and deal with this problem, which can be sorted within a month because the law is clear on the issue.

“We know where the problem is, I don’t understand why we go round in circles, we know where this problem is coming from and it’s coming from tujilijili. If you go in town people are selling beer in makeshift places, why are we ignoring where the problem is coming from?” he said.

He stressed that the association represents legitimate bar and nightclub owners who have a valid liquor license and anyone without a valid liquor license is operating illegally adding that it is those illegal businesses that government should deal with.

“Go round in town, you will see that most people in there are drunk, street kids are drinking and they drink tujilijili. The street kids drink kachasu, they don’t drink mosi and they smoke, you can’t blame those on bars and nightclubs”, he said.

Mwale noted that the association complies with the Liquor Licensing Act in the manner which it sales its alcoholic beverages adding that the association does not allow underage drinking and regulates operating hours.

 

 

 

 

The Bars and Night Clubs Owners Association

ZMA confirms Masebo’s combative meeting with doctors

The Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) has expressed disappointment over the extremely unflattering terms in which Health Minister Sylvia Masebo addressed the medical profession during the recently held 58^th ZMA Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM).

On 7 August 2022, the Zambian Business Times-ZBT reported that Masebo had a combative meeting with the medical doctors at the conference and the minister was lambasting the doctors, a situation which did not go well with the doctors and ZMA members in attendance.

The meeting did not go well, this may have led to the PS being seen in bad light and Masebo may have influenced the decision to have Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary-PS Administration Dr. George Magwende fired.

ZMA General Secretary Dr. Roy Tolopu said the association has taken exception to the unsubstantiated accusations that the chronic and critical shortages of drugs and medical supplies in public institutions is a result of pilfering by healthcare workers.

According to Information made available to the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Dr. Tolopu refuted accusations that medical doctors in senior management positions within Ministry of Health
structures and allied statutory bodies are running down the health system and stealing government time by undertaking private practice during work hours.

Dr. Tolopu said doctors make many sacrifices and donations from their own time and pockets to ensure that patients receive the highest possible care, even in the face of nationwide shortages.

“Any doctor or nurse can tell you about long-standing challenges we encounter in delivering
life-saving interventions such as oxygen therapy and procedures such as lumbar puncture.
Public suspicion concerning these procedures stems in part from high-level misinformation, delivered decades ago. To be accused of stealing from a system we are breaking our backs to support is nothing short of a slap in the face”, he said.

He stressed that the association’s primary interest is good stewardship of the nation’s health therefore ZMA’s first and overriding concern is the potential long-standing damage caused by erroneous statements made by high-level officials whose official capacity commands the public trust.

“To suggest without evidence that all medical doctors are stealing government time, knowing as we do the price the profession continually pays to deliver on the government’s mandate to maintain a healthy nation, is at best baseless conjecture and at worst, malice”, Dr. Tolopu added.

Dr. Tolopu explained that with regards to the management of large complex institutions, Districts and Provinces, ZMA counters that doctors have done a great deal to improve functions and decrease mortality and morbidity in centres throughout the country, often finding creative ways to do so when government grants have been delayed or diminished.

He noted that the medical profession has done much to build synergies between the private and public sector, by optimizing rare highly specialized skills and equipment and indeed, successful health systems make good use of a mix of private and public facilities, which in part serves to life the burden from government, and from the poorest patients.

The General Secretary said ZMA National Executive Committee along with senior members of the profession are engaging the minister on these matters of grave concern and has called upon its members to exercise magnanimity, restraint and patience, as the association works to address this matter with professionalism and decorum.

 

 

 

 

 

The Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) has expressed

ECL break in linked to inner circle

Political Analyst Dr. Levy Ngoma says the break in at former President Edgar Lungu’s house raises many questions than answers.

Unknown people broke into former President Edgar Lungu’s house in Ibex Hill area, Lusaka on 9 August 2022 and stole two smart television sets valued at K66, 000. The thieves gained entry through the back of the house by climbing the wall fence where they also cut the electric wire.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Dr. Ngoma said the thieves who broke into the former President’s house are people who know his movements because the incident occurred when he was out of the country.

Dr. Ngoma explained that it is strange that at the time the break in took place, power cut at the residence between 01:00hrs and 06:00hrs in the morning adding that this made it easy for the thieves to cut the electric wire.

He noted that there were two armed police officers guarding the place the time the incident happened and none of them knows anything adding that there are security doors that were damaged and it is questionable how those security doors were damaged.

“The police who were guarding the place didn’t hear anything?, they can’t say it was raining and making noise and therefore we didn’t hear anything, this incident actually raises more questions than answers and therefore this country has to be concerned, it’s a very scary situation. The former President is a very special person who deserves proper national security”, he said.

He mentioned that an inquiry into the matter is required adding that there is need to beef up security at the former Head of State’s residence to ensure that this does not happen again.

The political analyst mentioned that such an incident has never happened before and reports suggesting that it has happened before are incorrect.

 

Political Analyst Dr. Levy Ngoma says the

Teachers pensions lowest among civil servants – Union

Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia-BETUZ has revealed that teachers receive low pension payoffs compared to other professions in the public service adding that in its current form, the pension fund is not enough to compensate a worker who would have worked for so many years.

BETUZ Public and International Relations Director Kabika Kakunta explained that a teacher who is a certificate holder and works for atleast 20 years of unbroken service before retiring at the retirement age is entitled to a pension payoff of between K400, 000 to K500, 000.

In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Kakunta added that a retired teacher who worked for the same years but holds a diploma may receive a pension payoff between K500, 000 and 600, 000 adding that a degree holder may receive between K600, 000 and K800, 000.

Kakunta said other categories of workers such as Permanent Secretaries who could have served for the same period and are possessing the same qualifications get more money than teachers.

He noted that Members of Parliament will serve for 5 years but they are compensated highly in terms of gratuity and some of them are not even highly qualified and are diploma holders with others only having a diploma but in that 5 years, they will qualify for a motor vehicle of their choice and a huge gratuity after their term ends.

“But it is the same country that is compensating one category of workers in a certain fashion and another category of workers in another fashion. The pension to us is the last money that a worker gets after toiling for government between 25-30 years of service and they come out of their service with less than a million kwacha”, he said.

“It is that same money that they would want to buy their retirement house, maybe they were staying in a government house and when you compute all those you begin to see that the value for money does not match the service that these teachers give to government becauseat the end of the day we have always said that the children that we have taught in the end begin to determine poor pensions for us”, Kakunta added.

Kakunta mentioned that in the pension reforms,government must begin to work out how they can standardize the payment package so that the package is equal to the service provided.

“What is the argument for someone who could have worked only for 5 years as member of Parliament as compared to a teacher who has served for 20-30 years in government and have qualifications”, he said.

He added that these are dynamics that government should start talking about and ensure that workers benefit from these pension funds adding that as a labour movement, BETUZ has been advocating that these pension houses should go in a venture where they build houses and sell them to contributors like teachers so that whilst they are working,they would have already had a house where the pension fund can be deducting slowly.

“One thing that we see is that they get money from the members and when you see the houses that they build,for example those houses for NAPSA which are at SOS, no teacher can afford to buy such houses from their pensions but they have been built by the teachers’ contributions, they are expensive even to rent”, he said.

Kakunta said retirees are not able to leave comfortable lives afterwards because of the low funds they receive and that is why most of them die early as their pensions do not meet their aspirations after employment.

Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia-BETUZ has