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AMERICA COMMENDS REFORMS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION FIGHT: BUT

ANGOLA: UNITED STATES/ANGOP/21/2/19 SABANews 1

LUANDA – UNITED STATES President DONALD TRUMP has commended ANGOLAN Head of State JOÃO LOURENÇO for his reforms and the fight against corruption in the SADC country.

US President Donald Trump (Pic. EuroNews)

The AMERICAN Presidential Special Assistant and Senior Director for AFRICAN Affairs in the National Security Council has delivered the WHITE House communication.

CYRIL SARTOR conveyed the approval message during a meeting with the ANGOLAN Head of State in the capital, LUANDA.

He says his delegation has come with the spirit of friendship and they recognise the great steps President LOURENCO and the new leadership of ANGOLA have made so far.

Mr SARTO has addressed the media at the Presidential Palace, saying the government efforts show determination to transform the country and fight against corruption and open it to global trade.

Presidential Palace in Luanda (Pic. Angop)

He says ANGOLA is a key country in the new AMERICAN Foreign Policy Strategy for AFRICA and he hopes to strengthen the ties in economic sectors and improve governance.

The UNITED STATES official also says relations between the TWO countries have a strategic focus, which covers what he describes as other issues apart from oil.

The AMERICAN Presidential Special Assistant says he has dealt with regional and international issues with President JOÃO LOURENÇO.

Cyril Sarto (Pic. Angop)

CYRIL SARTOR, described as a master in AFRICAN history with more than 30 years’ experience, was Deputy Director of the Mission of the AMERICAN Intelligence Agency, CIA, in AFRICA.

While the commendation by the UNITED STATES President may be welcome in ANGOLA, critics view the move as a way to ambush the SADC country and swindle it out for its oil and other resources.

The anxiety comes amid accusations against AMERICA, which now fully has its sights on AFRICAN nations, of trying to control the world oil reserves peacefully or violenty.

White House stands accused of training and arming rebel groups in IRAQ, LIBYA, SYRIA, and, of late, VENEZUELA, under the pretext of bringing democracy, the rule of law and human rights to the target nations.

A large AMERICAN military deployment from 2003 to 2011 in IRAQ overthrew the rule of SADDAM HUSSEIN and killed the Head of State after accusing him falsely of having weapons of mass destruction.

The Shorja market in central Baghdad, bustling in early April, was targeted in US attacks in 2007 (Pic. Agencies)

This time, witnesses say IRAQ has begun to slip into anarchy when it used to be a much happier and safer place to live.

The same situation obtains in LIBYA, where there used to be no electricity bill; no interest on loans; with a home seen as a human right; and all newlyweds receiving more than 34-THOUSAND BRITISH pounds to buy their FIRST apartment.

Even education and health care were free; would-be farmers got land, a house, equipment, seeds, and livestock to kick start their farms – all for free; new car owners bought them for HALF the cost, with the government subsidising 50 percent of the price.

The price of petrol in LIBYA was 12 US cents and the country had no external debt, with reserves amounting to some 134-BILLION-246-MILLION-595-THOUSAND US dollars – all of which is now frozen worldwide by AMERICA.

Armed groups roam the streets of Libya day and night nowadays (Pic. Agencies)

Records show the murdered President MUAMMAR GADDAFI constructed the largest irrigation scheme in the world – the Great Manmade River Project, to water the whole desert country.

Just FOUR years, in 2015, after the so-called ARAB Spring protests that became an armed rebellion and killed GADDAFI, LIBYA was torn between TWO governments and scores of militia groups; and things are getting worse.

The so-called SYRIAN Civil War began in 2011 when the UNITED STATES gave rebels of the FREE SYRIAN Army help like food and pickup trucks, before quickly providing training, money, and intelligence to selected rebel commanders.

Research shows there were TWO AMERICAN attempts to assist SYRIAN dissidents: the 2014 PENTAGON scheme to train and equip 15-THOUSAND rebels, which was cancelled a year later after spending 500-MILLION US dollars and producing only a few dozen fighters.

When ‘The World’ interferes in your affairs, this is what happens – This is Syria burning (Pic. The Atlantic)

The CIA also ran a more successful simultaneous covert program of ONE-BILLION US dollars that suffered demolition by RUSSIAN bombing, before the TRUMP Administration cancelled it in mid-2017: and AMERICA is pulling out of SYRIA.

Current media reports say CUBA has denied having troops in VENEZUELA as alleged by the UNITED STATES; which has since openly indicated it wants to impose a puppet regime in the country, even militarily, and is calling on President NICOLAS MADURO to give way.

The reports say President DONALD TRUMP and his officials accuse CUBA of controlling VENEZUELAN security forces and having troops on the ground.

CUBAN Foreign Minister BRUNO RODRIGUEZ has denied the charges and described them as a slander; saying all of the 20-THOUSAND CUBANS in VENEZUELA are mostly civilian health professionals.

He says there is a big political and propaganda campaign going on, which is what AMERICA always does ahead of military action against governments that defy its orders.

The TRUMP Administration is trying to force VENEZUELAN President MADURO to step down and hand over power to the Head of the National Assembly, JUAN GUAIDO; but critics say AMERICA cares not for the domestic politics except for oil.

ANGOLA is the SECOND largest oil producing country in Sub-SAHARAN AFRICA and an OPEC member, with output of about ONE-POINT-55-MILLION barrels of oil per day and about 18-MILLION cubic feet of natural gas production.

CYRIL SARTOR says the UNITED STATES will include ANGOLA among AFRICAN countries like NIGERIA and KENYA to benefit from financing and technical support to boost their economic activities.

However, there is wide speculation that the AMERICAN Government is systematically selecting THIRD WORLD countries to exploit for oil through a variety of means like financial aid or military intervention./Sabanews/cam

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STATE APPROVES ACCESSION TO ANTI-MARINE POLLUTION PROTOCOLS

NAMIBIA: WATER/NBC/21/2/19 SABANews 1

WINDHOEK – The Government of NAMIBIA has agreed to have the country joining TWO major international protocols against marine pollution from ships.

Information and Communication Technology Minister STANLEY SIMATAA has revealed the information in the capital, WINDHOEK.

He says the Cabinet has approved national accession to the Annexures FOUR and SIX of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage of 2001.

Minister SIMATAA says the approval shows the need to re-double efforts made nationally and worldwide to address marine pollution.

Researchers say marine pollution results when chemicals; particles; or industrial, agricultural, and residential waste; enter the ocean; as well as from noise or the spread of sinister organisms.

Obvious water pollution (Pic. Agencies)

They say at least EIGHT percent of marine pollution comes from land.

Minister SIMATAA says NAMIBIA witnessed its worst oil-spill in MARCH last year, when oil washed ashore at WALVIS BAY.

He says joining the TWO global protocols helps the SADC country enforce international best practices and implement innovative ways to address such problems.

Minister SIMATAA says a pollution levy for companies operating in coastal waters is ONE priorities of the newly established National Marine Pollution Contingency Plan Management Committee.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has asked the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation to find ways to expedite granting interested POLISH investors visas to come and explore chances for investment.

NAMIBIA is further involved in other marine activities related to saving the water resources that are available to it.

An earlier report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, says unsustainable fishing, pollution, climate change and other human activities continue to exert enormous negative pressure on the world’s oceans.

It says the actions have led to pollution of water bodies, depletion of fish stocks, alteration of ecosystem structures and the overall reduction of the ability of ecosystems to adapt to climate variability and change.

The study also says in a bid to mitigate the situation, NAMIBIA, NORWAY, and FAO signed a cooperative program agreement to implement the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management.

The scheme aims to address multiple impacts of human acts like overfishing and pollution on fish stocks and the marine environment to preserve productivity of the oceans for the benefit of future generations./Sabanews/cam

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NATION SETS TO BENEFIT AS UN ELEVATES RESIDENT COORDINATORS

ZIMBABWE: UNITED NATIONS/SABANEWS/14/2/19 SABANews 1

HARARE – The new economic, socio and political dispensation in ZIMBABWE enjoys nonstop support from the global community, with the latest show of solidarity coming from the UNITED NATIONS itself.

The world body has retained NEPALESE national BISHOW PARAJULI in the economically devastated SADC country with his more than 33 years of experience in a variety of development areas.

Mr Bishow Parajuli presenting his credentials at State House (Pic. UN)

A Statement by UN Mission Communications Specialist SIRAK GEBREHIWOT says Mr PARAJULI gained expertise in humanitarian, diplomatic, fund raising, coordination and management issues in ASIA, EUROPE, SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA and the MIDDLE EAST.

He became UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in SEPTEMBER 2014, but this THURSDAY he has presented his credentials, as the most high-ranking UN Representative, to President EMMERSON MNANGAGWA at State House in HARARE.

Mr GEBREHIWOT says the development is in line with events of ONE JANUARY 2019, when the UN System launched a global change for an improved and new Resident Coordinator System and UN Country Team – putting countries at the forefront.

He says UN Secretary General ANTONIO GUTERRES has made the appointment of Mr PARAJULI as part of efforts to implement this ongoing UNITED NATIONS reform agenda.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (Pic. Reuters)

The world body adopted Resolution 72/279 at the 72ND session of its General Assembly to strengthen the authority and leadership of the Resident Coordinators as the highest-ranking representatives of the UNITED NATIONS development systems.

The envoys are to lead sustainable-development-focused UN country teams and system-wide accountability on the ground for implementing the UN Development Assistance Framework, as well as supporting countries in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

However, the promoted UN Resident Coordinator and the refreshed UN Country Team remain focused on sustainable development, with the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions as their principal objective.

Mr GEBREHIWOT says the emphasis is consistent with the integrated nature of the 2030 Agenda, and in line with the UNITED NATIONS Development Assistance Framework.

With his new mandate, Mr PARAJULI will lead alignment of both UN agency programs and inter-agency pool funds for development with national development needs and priorities, as well as with the UN Development Assistance Framework, in consultation with the State.

Secretary General ANTONIO GUTERRES has also recently issued a statement to UN member nations on the rollout of the UN System Reform.

He says countries will be able to count on impartial and empowered Resident Coordinators – fully devoted to the needs required to fulfil the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, drawing on experience, skills and knowledge across the UN system.

Mr GUTERRES says UN Country Teams on the ground will now be better able to tailor their presence, capacities, skills sets, and overall responses to priorities of the host nations.

Before Secretary General GUTERRES appointed him to lead the newly reformed UN System in ZIMBABWE, Mr BISHOW PARAJULI has been UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative in ZIMBABWE since 16 SEPTEMBER 2014.

Mr Parajuli and President Mnangagwa pose for a photo with UN staff (Pic. UN)

He has led UN cooperation with the government, donors, civil society, communities, the media, and other partners to new heights; including a new strategic engagement under the 2016 to 2020 UN Development Assistance Framework, focusing on SIX national priorities.

The priority areas are poverty reduction, social services, gender equality, HIV and AIDS, food and nutrition security, and good governance, and they have led to the successful mobilization of 400-MILLION US dollars yearly for the past THREE years.

Results from the schemes include resilience building for 830-THOUSAND people in 23 rural districts, giving cash and food aid to TWO-POINT-TWO-MILLION vulnerable people, as well as introducing climate smart agriculture.

The development partners have further helped expand agro-businesses and irrigation infrastructures, as well as linking women to domestic and regional markets.

ZIMBABWE also now has independent institutions, including the Election Commission, the Human Rights Commission, the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, and the Gender Commission.

The UN Mission statement says the established authorities are meant to promote peace, reconciliation, and contribute to efforts to enhance democracy and human rights in the SADC country.

It says the world body has helped the nation to fulfil its reporting obligations to human rights mechanisms like the Universal Periodic Review, and to implement rights recommendations and development goals, with a view to enhance human rights and development.

The UN has also been actively engaged on national initiatives to end child marriages and gender-based violence, ensuring access to education of children with disabilities and providing books to TWO-POINT-FIVE-MILLION pupils.

Women in rural Masvingo Province working on UN sponsored community projects (Pic. UN)

It has further helped more than 300-THOUSAND poor households – especially child headed – with cash transfer consistently, and more than THREE-POINT-SIX-MILLION people in rural and semi-urban areas have received water and sanitation services.

In response to the HIV pandemic, more than ONE-MILLION people have been successfully put on antiretroviral treatment, allowing them to lead a productive life and make the country ONE of the leaders in such efforts internationally.

The world body says it has been responding proactively to emerging humanitarian crises caused by recurrent droughts, floods and outbreaks such as cholera and typhoid in the country.

The UN has worked with ZIMBABWE and development partners to find lasting solutions by building national capacities for disaster risk management, early warning systems, as well as resilience building of communities to withstand shocks and effects of climate change.

The repositioning of Mr PARAJULI as the most high-ranking UN Representative comes as ZIMBABWE is reeling under biting AMERICAN and BRITISH economic sanctions that have left the country on its knees and facing opposition-led social unrest./Sabanews/cam

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AT LEAST 23 GOLD DIGGERS KILLED IN FLOODED TUNNELS

ZIMBABWE: DISASTER/THE HERALD/14/2/19 SABANews 1

BATTLEFIELDS – At least 23 informal gold miners have been killed in flooded tunnels of TWO disused mines in the Central ZIMBABWE area of BATTLEFIELDS.

Gold panner going down (Pic. Agencies)

THE HERALD says the tragedy occurred after heavy rains caused the walls of a local dam to burst and release huge volumes of water at about midnight TUESDAY into the shafts of CRICKET Mine owned by RIOZIM and another owned by a Mr BAXTER.

The State-run daily says the TWO mines have THREE linked shafts going down for some 30 metres deep and with tunnels that are 20 metres wide each.

Authorities have expressed fear the number of people killed could rise, because chances of rescuing any survivors are slim and the water levels in the tunnels continue to rise.

MASHONALAND WEST Provincial Administrator CECILIA CHITIYO says they have activated their regional Civil Protection Unit to offer assistance.

She says the authorities need to mobilise more pumps urgently because the water levels are continuously rising from beneath, and they are not sure if the affected miners had not reached an aquifer below.

Police have collected corpses of panners over the years (Pic. Agencies)

MHONDORO-NGEZI District Administrator FORTUNATE MAZULU has visited the TWO mines and she has also told THE HERALD chances of rescuing any survivors are very slim.

She says the names of people believed to have been trapped has reached 23, with 19 reportedly trapped at the RIOZIM-owned mine and another FOUR at the other mine.

Ms MAZULU says the informal miners have been entering the shafts and tunnels under the cover of darkness, without the knowledge of mine owners, and disappearing early in the morning.

She says rescue operations are also difficult because the shafts are flooded to the surface, which is why they have had to call ZIMPLATS Company to help with their bigger pumps to drain the water and enable retrieval of the bodies.

RIOZIM Spokesperson WILSON GWATIRINGA has also visited the site, saying efforts are underway to drain the water from the shafts.

The ZIMBABWE Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is leading the operations to retrieve the bodies of the killed miners and rescue survivors, if any, from the flooded disused mine tunnels./Sabanews/cam

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SADC CALLS FOR LIFTING OF SANCTIONS AND NON-INTERFERENCE IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS

ZIMBABWE: DISTURBANCES/SABANEWS/12/2/19 SABANews 1

WINDHOEK – The SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, SADC, has repeated the call for Western powers to lift economic sanctions against ZIMBABWE and stop interfering in the affairs of other sovereign nations.

SADC leaders finally vocal (Pic. The Namibian)

President HAGE GEINGOB of NAMIBIA, who chairs the economic bloc, has also issued a statement calling on all political players to cooperate with the government for the benefit of the country.

His comments come after a briefing from President EMMERSON MNANGAGWA to the Consultative Meeting of the SADC Heads of State and Government, held on the NINTH of this month.

President GEINGOB says regional leaders have seen the intense and continuous efforts by the new government to address national challenges and transform the economy.

He says the efforts are particularly visible in the ZIMBABWE Transitional Stabilization Program 2018 to 2020, as well as in the visible moves to consolidate national unity and peace.

Nevertheless, the SADC Chairperson says some internal groups, mainly NGOs getting support from external forces, have continued with counter attempts to destabilise the country.

Such groups have recently taken advantage of fuel price hikes meant to arrest biting economic challenges and staged violent protests that got a number of people killed and caused enormous property destruction nationwide.

The SADC leaders say the demonstrations had nothing to do with the increased fuel costs but were a scheme meant to destabilise the country; and they have expressed sympathy with the affected families for the loss of their loved ones and their property.

On the other hand, SADC says ZIMBABWE is working hard to transform the economy and bring about prosperity to the people, but the illegal sanctions imposed on the country since early 2000 are affecting the struggle.

The 16-member economic bloc says it stands in solidarity with the government of ZIMBABWE and its people, and it is calling on the Western powers to lift the embargo unconditionally.

SADC has further called on the opposition to stop soliciting for wicked support for a regime change agenda; and join the MNANGAGWA Administration in a national political dialogue that aims to strengthening economic transformation.

The renewed push from the regional grouping comes amid serious campaigns by opposition MDC ALLIANCE Leader NELSON CHAMISA to force his way into the echelons of power through a Government of National Unity.

Nelson Chamisa struggles to force formation of GNU (Pic. Agencies)

Mr CHAMISA enjoys massive support from privately-run, well-funded, media outlets against a poorly-resourced national broadcaster and an equally poorly-financed newspaper group run by the State.

Research has revealed the deadly opposition political lobby and the massive media campaign against the new government in ZIMBABWE enjoys generous external support, mainly from the UNITED STATES.

The DONALD TRUMP Administration is not only destabilising the SADC country but has earned the reputation of trying to unseat constitutionally elected governments elsewhere as well, and replace them with pseudo opposition political groups.

The SADC Chairperson has this month issued a statement on events in the BOLIVARIAN Republic of VENEZUELA, where AMERICAN Vice President MIKE PENCE has ushered in an opposition leader as President – with full support from WHITE HOUSE.

President Nicolas Maduro (right) facing a coup (Pic. Agencies)

President HAGE GEINGOB says the SADC notes with concern the attempts by leaders of such countries to interfere in the affairs and sovereignty of VENEZUELA.

He says such nations have sought to undermine an elected government under President NICOLAS MADURO MOROS by proclaiming JUAN GUAIDO MARQUEZ as Interim Head of State.

President GEINGOB says the SADC condemns such violations of the values of International Law, especially the respect for sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of independent States.

He says the people of the BOLIVARIAN Republic of VENEZUELA expressed their political choices through Parliamentary and Presidential Elections in DECEMBER 2015 and MAY 2018 respectively.

However, just like in the ZIMBABWE presidential election last NOVEMBER, the UNITED STATES has encouraged VENEZUELAN opposition leader GUAIDO to take over power from the elected Head of State.

Media reports say, faced with US-led economic sanctions President MADURO has reached out to Pope FRANCIS to seek help to bring about a peaceful solution to the crisis in VENEZUELA. It is not clear yet how the VATICAN has responded.

Just like in ZIMBABWE where Mr CHAMISA tried to inaugurate himself as President even after losing in the Constitutional Court, Mr GUAIDÓ declared himself Head of State on 23 JANUARY after speaking to US Vice President MIKE PENCE.

Trump and Pence conniving to effect random regime changes (Pic. France 24)

Vice President PENCE pledged to the politician support from the TRUMP Administration, after which countries like AUSTRIA, BRITAIN, DENMARK, FRANCE, GERMANY, SPAIN and SWEDEN towed the same line.

However, the US television program, DEMOCRACY NOW, says ITALY has blocked an EU statement recognising Mr GUAIDÓ, while IRELAND and GREECE support new elections but do not recognise the GUAIDÓ presidency.

The broadcaster says TWO major powers, CHINA and RUSSIA, have condemned the AMERICAN move in VENEZUELA out-and-out, which is also the stance taken by the SADC Region.

The call by the SADC leaders for powerful nations in the West to stop interfering in the affairs of poor countries may be the beginning of an era where the THIRD WORLD refuse to be bullied about their domestic affairs./Sabanews/cam

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SECURITY OFFICIALS HUNT FOR SUSPECTED ARMY AND POLICE IMPOSTORS

ZIMBABWE: TERROR/THE HERALD/30/1/19 SABANews 1

CHEGUTU – Police in ZIMBABWE have launched a manhunt for 15 dangerous armed men masquerading as army and police officers, who have been terrorising people in the western region.

The group has attacked different places in CHEGUTU Town and surrounding areas and got away with TWO cars, loaded guns, police uniforms, cellular phones, and cash.

Armed robbers arrested earlier in Harare (Pic. Harare 24 News)

THE HERALD says the robbers, some wearing National Army uniforms and police riot jackets with pairs of camouflage trousers, abducted and stripped State and municipal police officers.

It says the Police Officer Commanding MASHONALAND WEST Province, Commissioner FELLY MJANGA CHIKOWERO, has revealed the information.

The official says a 19 JANUARY report by CHEGUTU District Police Commander Chief Superintendent TAMBUDZAI MAZAMBANI shows the assailants attacked and stole goods from CHINESE nationals.

They were allegedly armed with TWO 303 rifles, an AK 47 assault rifle, TWO pistols, metal bars, machetes and batons when they raided the house of the CHINESE.

The suspects reportedly fired shots and smashed windows before demanding cash and valuables from LI JIPING (60), LIE HIA LING (58) and YUAN YING DUO (48).

They allegedly severely assaulted their victims with batons and got away with a pistol, cell phones and cash, before shooting OBERT KAVHIYANO, who stays in the cottage, and stealing a decoder and another cell phone from his neighbour, FARISAI CHIHORO.

Chief Superintendent MAZAMBANI says Mr JINPIN reported the matter at Police CHEGUTU and returned with THREE officers to the crime scene.

However, the suspects overpowered the law-enforcement agents, disarmed and stripped them, before seizing TWO cars, THREE cell phones, an FN riffle with 20 rounds, police uniforms, and cash.

The suspected robbers then bundled their victims into the TWO stolen motor vehicles and drove out of the premises.

Police say on the same night, they received reports of yet another armed robbery and detectives, THREE of them armed with an AK 47 rifle and CZ pistols.

They found the assailants still at the scene and they engaged them, but the detectives were again overpowered; forcing THREE of the details to flee and leave TWO colleagues behind.

The robbers captured the remaining TWO, bundled them into the boot of the stolen vehicle after seizing their phones, police IDs, a CZ pistol and cash.

Chief Superintendent MAZAMBANI says the suspects committed a number of similar attacks and later dumped their captives and a motor vehicle before disappearing.

The authorities in ZIMBABWE say there are a number of guns in private hands illegally and the firearms are being used to commit crimes./Sabanews/cam

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MUNICIPAL DISCORD FORCES PRESIDENTIAL INTERVENTION

NAMIBIA: GOVERNANCE/NBC/30/1/19 SABANews 1

WINDHOEK – President HAGE GEINGOB of NAMIBIA has had to intervene in a case involving TWO municipal officials in the capital, WINDHOEK.

NBC News says he has ordered the Municipality to reinstate City Police Chief ABRAHAM KANIME and drop all charges against Chief Executive Officer ROBERT KAHIMISE.

Fatal shooting in city centre (Pic. NBC)

It says the Head of State has taken the action after what it describes as continuous wrangling among councillors in the City Council over the TWO officials for the past THREE years.

City Police Chief KANIME has been on non-stop suspension while earning his salary; and Chief Executive Officer KAHIMISE was suspended, resumed work and was then reinstated in his post.

President GEINGOB says even though he is not familiar with the law, he has decided to issue the order to end the impasse.

He says while the councillors have been fighting without an end there has been a murder in the centre of WINDHOEK.

President GEINGOB was referring to the shooting that resulted in the death of a senior worker at the GLOBAL FUND Office while another employee was admitted at Lady POHAMBA Hospital Intensive Care Unit with bullet wounds.

Police have since arrested a GLOBAL FUND employee and charged him with murder as well as attempted murder following the incident TWO days ago.

SIMAATA SIMASIKU has appeared in the WINDHOEK Magistrate’s Court facing charges of murdering SARAH MWILIMA and attempted to murder ESTER NEPOLO.

NBC News says he has told Magistrate VANESSA STANLEY he may apply for a State-funded lawyer if he fails to get a private lawyer, after she warned him of his legal rights.

Magistrate STANLEY has remanded the case to the FIRST of MARCH to allow for further investigations and for the accused to secure a lawyer.

The State alleges Mr SIMASIKU shot colleagues MWILIMA and NEPOLO in broad daylight at the GLOBAL FUND Office in WINDHOEK City Centre.

Ms MWILIMA died instantly but Ms NEPOLO survived and was rushed to Lady POHAMBA Hospital for treatment after the shooting.

Prosecutors say they suspect a disagreement over the renewal of the arrested man’s contract, which ends at the end of MARCH, may have prompted the shooting.

The NAMIBIAN Head of State has expressed annoyance over the squabbles in the Council chambers of the capital city when the municipality needed full attention in the face of such murders./Sabanews/cam

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ELECTORAL COMMISSION GETS READY FOR 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS

MALAWI: BALLOTS/MBC/30/1/19 SABANews 1

BLANTYRE – The MALAWI Electoral Commission has called on operators of nomination equipment to ensure their tools are safe when discharging their duties.

When voting time comes (Pic. The Maravi Post)

MBC News says the Commissioner responsible for Media and Civic Education has addressed the workers during a ONE-day-long training session in the commercial capital, BLANTYRE.

MOFFAT BANDA says the aim of the exercise is to equip personnel with skills in readiness for the presentation of nomination papers ahead of general elections on 21 MAY 2019.

Other media reports say the Commission has called on aspiring candidates to present their nomination papers for pre-inspection on the SECOND and THIRD of next month.

They say people vying for the National Assembly and Local Government will present their nomination papers to their Constituency Returning Officers.

Presidential candidates will present their nomination papers to the Electoral Commission Head Office at the COMESA Hall in BLANTYRE.

The exercise aims to ensure all nomination papers have been filled correctly and allow aspiring candidates to correct any anomalies and deficiencies whilst there is still time.

Chief Elections Officer SAMMY ALFANDIKA has issued a statement say the move will help avoid a situation where errors come out on the nomination day and cause panic.

He says politicians who will not be able to go to the pre-inspection centre to delegate their representatives, and there is no need to mobilize their supporters to escort them to the venues.

However, Mr ALFANDIKA says there is no specific schedule drawn and aspiring candidates or their representatives are free to come at their convenient time.

The government of MALAWI is this year funding general elections without support from donors for the FIRST time since the advent of multiparty democracy in 1994./Sabanews/cam

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FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED AFTER ACCUSED PERSON DIES IN POLICE CUSTODY

ZAMBIA: TORTURE/ZNBC/30/1/19 SABANews 1

ZAMBEZI – A man allegedly arrested on suspicions of possessing a firearm illegally has died in police custody in the North-western ZAMBIA district of ZAMBEZI.

The Acting Police Inspector General says the force will carry out an inquiry to determine what could have led to the death of the suspect at the ZAMBEZI Correctional Facility.

Police vehicle torched by angry residents (Pic. ZNBC)

EUGENE SIBOTE says they plan to send a team of officers and a pathologist to the district to conduct a post mortem and find out what led to the burning of a police vehicle as well.

He has revealed the development to ZNBC News in the capital, LUSAKA, saying the incident occurred after officers allegedly tortured the man to death after accusing of illegally possessing a gun.

The national broadcaster also says yesterday, a mob of residents of ZAMBEZI District burnt a police vehicle and destroyed the district hospital mortuary.

It says the provincial leadership of the ruling PATRIOTIC FRONT Party has condemned the events, describing them as retrogressive and unfortunate.

Provincial Chairperson JACKSON KUNGO says the actions, which led to loss of life and damage of property could have been avoided.

He has called on both the security officers and members of the public to exercise restraint in their engagements.

The ZAMBIAN politician says authorities should bring to book the police officer who killed the suspect and arrest the people involved in vandalizing government property once they are identified./Sabanews/cam

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AUTHORITIES SEIZE SMUGGLED GOODS AT BORDER POSTS

MOZAMBIQUE: SMUGGLING/RM/30/1/19 SABANews 1

MAPUTO – The MOZAMBIQUE Revenue Authority says it has detained an assortment of goods that include food, phones, and motor vehicles smuggled into the country.

Police struggle to control porous border (Pic. Web)

RADIO MOZAMBIQUE says the agency has carried out an operation in the districts of ZOBUE CUCHAMANO, on the border with ZAMBIA, as well as in CHANGARA and MOATIZE, which border MALAWI.

It quotes the Revenue Authority TETE Provincial Officer as saying they have seized SEVEN cars, a number of cell-phones, about 19-THOUSAND tonnes of sugar, THREE bales of used clothing, 16 packs of soda, 67 tyres, and other loose items.

ÂMIDO ABDALA says many people resort to covert cross-border activities largely because they cannot afford to pay for travel documents, border taxes, work permits, as well as import and trade licenses.

He says officials in TETE Province have adaunting task to monitor the movement of goods and people at THREE major boundaries with ZAMBIA and MALAWI.

He names the frontiers as CUCHAMANO in CHANGARA District; ZOBUE in MOATIZE; CASSACATIZA in CHIFUNDE District; CALOMUE, which also borders MALAWI, in ANGONIA District.

However, Mr ABDALA says poachers and smugglers have virtually destroyed the boundary fence by cutting it or even digging trenches underneath.

Mocimboa da Praia District offices (Pic. Agencies)

MOZAMBIQUE has for years being struggling to bring sanity to its borders amid a concoction of crimes like illegal migration, human trafficking, armed banditry, poaching, and smuggling.

Defence Minister ATANÁSIO M’TUMUKE had to meet his TANZANIAN counterpart, HUSSEIN MWINYI, last year to come up with a joint operation plan to fight cross-border crimes.

Their discussions in the South-eastern TANZANIA town of MTWARA came after a wave of attacks against civilians and security posts by armed gangs in the CABO DELGADO Region of Northern MOZAMBIQUE.

The previous year had seen at least 100 people – including civilians, members of the security forces, as well as suspected bandits, killed in violent clashes in the area.

Media reports say the wave of violence in CABO DELGADO broke out after a group from a local mosque attacked police stations in MOCÍMBOA DA PRAIA District in OCTOBER 2017.

Since then, Northern MOZAMBIQUE has recorded many cross-border crimes that continue to worry the State at a time when the country is fighting to recover its economy and harvest the abundant natural resources it has./Sabanews/cam