By Adrian Mwanza –
THE banned highly intoxicating illicit alcohol packed in sachets popularly known as Tujilijili have resurfaced on the market and is on high demand, especially in Lusaka’s Misisi Township.
Concerned residents from Misisi have called on Lusaka City Council (LCC) and other law enforcing wings to curb the ever increasing sale of Tujilijili in the area.
Grace Chilangwa of Misisi township said the council needed to move in and carry out an operation because people were being intoxicated as early as 10:00hrs.
She said under-age people were consuming Tujilijili in large quantities because it was cheap.
“Young men have now started abusing the cheap alcohol which is readily available in markets in their respective areas,” she said.
And Jackson Kasonde, a resident of Chibolya township, said it was unfortunate that the illicit beer had resurfaced after Government and the local
authority banned it.
Mr Kasonde called on the council to ensure that people involved in the trade of Tujilijili were brought to book because the beer is a social menace.
“The council should ensure that they persecute the people behind the sale of Tujilijili because that alcohol is too concentrated and people just take them without even diluting,” he said.
LCC Public Relations Manager Habeenzu Mulunda said people with information should come forward to help in tracing the origins of the illicit alcohol.
Mr Habeenzu said LCC was doing everything possible to ensure that all those who were involved in the sale of illicit alcohol were brought to book.
He said there was need for Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) to ensure that they put stringent measures on the borders were most of the illicit liquor was being smuggled into the country. Mr Habeenzu said ZRA had the mandate to ensure there is control of the entry of the sachets which were coming from Malawi and other neighbouring countries like Tanzania.
“ZRA should ensure that they put up stringent measures because most people were smuggling the sachets from Malawi,” he said.
He said it was hard for the council to trace the origins because they were only confined in Lusaka and not any other town. Mr Habeenzu said they needed to cooperate with other stakeholders in order to bring sanity in Lusaka especially in places like Chibolya and Misisi townships.

Ndola public library reopens

By MUNAMBEZA MUWANEI –
THE Ndola public library which was closed for over a year for rehabilitation works has now been opened to the public after refurbishing the facility at a cost of K200,000.
Among some refurbishment has been the painting of the building, replacement of some damaged electrical fittings and air condition unit.
The rehabilitation works money came from the Ndola Central Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of 2013.
Ndola City Council (NCC) public relations manager Roy Kuseka said they were now looking at restocking the library with reading materials.
Mr Kuseka appealed to business houses, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) and various institutions to assist in restocking the library.
He said the restocking of books in the library was not only for the council but for the community because libraries were important in the advancement of knowledge.
“I want to appeal to various institutions to assist us with reading materials for the City’s Library, it is now fully operational,” he said.
This library was the biggest in Ndola and attracts pupils and various students from different higher learning institutions.

Sikongo cries for mobile phone network

By SARAH MWANZA –
SIKONGO residents have called on Government to put up communication towers in the district as the area has no mobile phone network.
Sikongo District also has no television and radio signals resulting in them being denied access to information.
Nalucha Ndombo, a resident, said she could not remember when last she communicated with someone using the phone due to lack of network.
Nalucha said the only time she had access to network was when she left the district and went to other places like Mongu.
“The only time one can have network on the phone is when they leave this district which is also difficult since the area has a bad terrain,” she said.
Peter Mubita said it was unimaginable for people to be cut off from the network and signal.
He said as a result, the people in the area have no access to current affairs since they are technologically cut off from what was happening in the country.
“In this area we don’t even listen to the news, we don’t even know what is happening in the country,” he said.
And Ngenda Nalishebo said there was need for the Zambia Information Communication and Technology Authority (ZICTA) to put up communication towers to enable people in the area to communicate with others using the phone.
He said every Zambia citizen had equal rights hence should be able to benefit from all the privileges.
“We call on ZICTA to put up communication towers so that we are able to communicate freely because it is also our right,” he said.
However, Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Deputy Minister Mutaba Mwali assured the residents that Government would do everything possible to ensure that their concerns were addressed.
He said currently a team from ZICTA had been going round in all the newly created districts to instal towers.
“I am aware that there is a group of people from ZICTA visiting all the newly created districts and I am sure that they will be here soon,” he said.

Yengwe ward gets facelift

By MUNAMBEZA MUWANEI –
YENGWE ward in Ndola Central Constituency has embarked on rehabilitating drainages in Northrise residential area in Ndola.
The ward has also recruited more than 20 people to assist in digging the dilapidated drainages in the area and works have already started.
The Sunday Times crew that visited the area found some of the women and youths engaged to work on drainages on Kangere road busy unblocking some of the drainages.
Project Supervisor Star Muwowo said they were expected to dig drainages in five roads in Northrise area.
Among some of the roads that had been worked on so far include Boundary and Kangere, with more works on Sheila Dale and Luangwa expected to be done during the rainy season.
Mr Muwowo expressed disappointment at a number of residents that were putting building materials in the drainages which had delayed their works.
Mr Muwowo has said they would soon engage the council to assist with clearing the drainage works on a house in Kangere because of its dilapidation and was also infested with snakes.
“We can’t work on the drainage for this house because they are a lot of snakes and we shall just engage the council,” he said.
He said funding for the works was from the Ndola Central Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Meanwhile Project Co-supervisor Robert Mapotela said the ward would soon embark on grass-slashing of the and cleaning of Northrise market.
“We have a number of projects in the ward we shall soon start cleaning the surrounding of Northrise market,” he said.

‘Raid on Illicit Lusaka alcohol traders timely’

By SARAH MWANZA –
SOME Lusaka residents have expressed happiness at Police’s raid of all illegal alcohol vendors at Simoson building and Stanley Bar in Lusaka.
Stanley bar had for a long time been known for illicit activities ranging from the illegal sale of alcohol and several criminal activities.
Police on Tuesday raided the area arresting some vendors trading from the area and some bus drivers operating along Freedomway.
Mary Sinkala, a Lusaka resident, said the area had become a very dangerous place especially at night.
She said the place used to harbour criminals who usually attacked innocent people at night hence the timely crack down by the police should be recommended.
Kaleb Chande said the scenario at Stanley bar was shocking as people were openly selling alcohol even to underage children.
He said empty opaque beer bottles and packs were littered right in the city centre which was an eye sore to citizens.
Chande called on the police not to relent but continue the operation so that vendors could not take back to the street.
However, Andrew Chilekwa, a trader, bemoaned the development claiming that the business helped him raise money which he used to look after his family and pay for his children’s school fees.
Chilekwa said the council had pounced on them on several occasions but that they had no alternatives but go back since it was there only source of revenue.