Fellows learn the History of Syracuse

By Onishias Maamba is Syracuse, New York

As the Mandela Washington Fellowship enters week three which is built around the core ideas of public administration and democracy, Fellows in Leadership and Public Management at Syracuse University this morning undertook a tour of Syracuse Downtown Syracuse led by the Onondaga Historical Association.

A lively cultural hub, Downtown Syracuse is Home to the Everson Museum of Art, known for ceramics and American works, and the Erie Canal museum, with exhibits on the waterway that once ran through the city.

Downtown Syracuse is the economic Centre of Syracuse and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people and housing over 4,300. It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighbours of Syracuse.

Originally built on the lands of the former Onondaga Nation, the city grew on the back of its salt and chemical industries, and later as a center of manufacturing and engineering.                                                                                            

Syracuse also became an active center of the abolitionist movement, due in large part to the influence of Gerrit Smith and a group allied with him. This can be attested by the “Jerry Rescue” monument which is housed in Downtown in Clinton Square. On October 1, 1851, William Henry, a freed slave known as "Jerry", was arrested under the Fugitive Slave Law.                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 The anti-slavery Liberty Party was holding its state convention in the city and when word of the arrest spread, several hundred abolitionists broke into the city jail and freed Jerry.                                                                                                        

 The event came to be widely known as the "Jerry Rescue".

As for basket fans, it is also worth noting that the 24-second shot clock was invented in Syracuse.

On Wednesday, Fellows will visit Albany, the capital city of New York State where they will tour the capitol building, meeting with lobbyists, government representatives. The follows will also visit the New York State Museum which explores the cultural and natural history of the New York State.    

 

 

  

OVER 27,000 CONTRACT COVID-19 IN ZAMBIA

 By Onishias Maamba

OVER 27,000 people are now known to have contracted the coronavirus with 469 deaths in Zambia since the pandemic broke out in March 2020.

This follows the 1,161 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours out of the 11,700 tests done bringing the cumulative number of cases to 27,728.

The latest statistics show a decrease of 80 cases compared to 1,241 cases recorded yesterday.

The new cases were detected in 47 districts countrywide with Lusaka accounting for the highest at 365, followed by Ndola 140, Kabwe 137, Rufunsa 74 and Chipata 52. 

According to Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, the country in the last 25 hours recorded five fatalities in Lusaka, Livingstone, Solwezi and Mongu.

In a statement, Dr. Chilufya says the number of patients admitted to health facilities is 191 with 112 on oxygen therapy while 86 patients have been discharged bringing the cumulative recoveries to 20,598.

POLICE TAKE INTEREST IN DECEASED DAEV's ABUSE VIDEOS

By Onishias Maamba

BARELY 24 hours after the demise of Zambian singer David Phiri popularly known as Daev, videos of him being physically abused by two ladies from an unidentified house have gone viral on social media.

Daev died in a horrific road traffic accident together with three other people around 14 hours on Sunday along the Chirundu-Kafue road at red paint area.

In one of the videos, Daev who is seen in a kneeling position is being asked to apologize by one the ladies as she also asks him to sing his hit record track “It never been easy.”

As he attempts to plead with his assailants not to capture the ordeal, one of them (a coloured lady) is seem whipping him with a belt on his face.

The seemingly helpless Daev then kneels without saying any word while the two ladies mock him with a male voice who was off camera asked him to apologize so they could leave the place.

And the Zambia Police have taken interest into the video clips circulating on social media.

According to Mwebathu News Media an online publication, Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said "Yes, we have watched the videos and we have taken interest in the matter."

Daev has been widely mourned by Zambians who have continued to shower their condolences through social media. 

 

 

 

FLOODS DEVASTATE PARTS OF MALAMBO CONSTITUENCY

By Onishias Kamana Maamba in Lusaka

SOME parts of Malambo constituency in Eastern province have been submerged in water following heavy rains being experienced in the area.

Area MP, Makebi Zulu who is regional Minister has confirmed the development on his Facebook page, monitored by this blogger.

Mr. Zulu described the situation as devastating, but has assured the effected people that efforts were being put in place in a bid to mitigate against the calamity.

“We have woken up to devastating flash floods in Malambo Constituency. I wish to assure everyone in the constituency that we are responding with the necessary haste to mitigate the effects of the floods. Climate change is real, let's fight it together,” read the Facebook post.

Some houses that have been submerged
following floods in Malambo 

  

He said the worst hit areas are Chitempa and Masumba, noting that officers had since being deployed to carry out a rapid needs’ assessment.

“Following the floods in Malambo constituency this morning, we are currently in the field carrying out a Rapid Needs Assessment. This is Chitempa/Masumba area. The situation is unpleasant but we shall give it the necessary attention with appropriate and measured responses,” Zulu posted. 

MONZE MAN MURDERS 2 YEAR-OLD SON IN BIZARRE ORDEAL

By Onishias Kamana Maamba

A man of Monze district in South province has allegedly stabbed his two-old son to death in an unexplained circumstance.

Police Public Relation Officer (PRO) Esther Mwata Katongo has confired the development in a statement and has identified the suspected as Elia Hatontola 28, of Mapafula Village, while the deceased as Enock Hatontola.

“Police in Monze received a report of Murder that male Elia Hatontola commonly known as Eliya mama of Mapafula Village in Monze District murdered his two year old son identified as Enock Hatontola by stabbing him with a knife in the abdomen,” she said.

Ms. Katonga said the incident occurred on 12^th December, 2019 around 23:00 hours at Kapafula Village in Monze, but that the motive behind the killing was not yet known.

She added that the body was picked and deposited in Monze Mission Hospital mortuary.

The Police PRO said the suspect later attempted to commit suicide by taking unknown poisonous substance but was apprehended and taken to Monze Mission Hospital.

She revealed that a Docket of Murder had been opened.

CHIPATA MAN LOSES GENITALS IN BIZARRE ORDEAL

By Onishias Maamba in Chipata

IN what can be thought to be a ritual attack, a 45-year-old man of Chipata district in eastern province is battling for his life after losing his genitals following an attack from unknown assailants.

Both Eastern province commissioner of Police, Luckson Sakala and Chipata Central Hospital Senior Medical Superintendent, Mbinga Mbinga confirmed the development to this bloggers in separate interviews.

Mr Sakala identified the victim as Seveni Phiri, a Malawian national who was a cattle herder in Mashanga village in Paramount Chief Mpezeni's area. 

The regional police chief said Phiri met his fate on Thursday, 14^th November, 2019 after unknown assailants attacked him from behind, while walking on a path.

“This happened in Mashanga village on Thursday, and the victim is Seveni Phiri, aged 45, a Malawian national, his assailants attacked him from behind and over powered him. The only thing he remembers happening is when his trousers was being removed by the attackers. After they left, he felt some pain around his pubic region, and that is when he realized that his genitals were cut off,” he said.

Mr. Sakala said the attackers ran away with Phiri’s genitals to an unknown destination and that their motive was not known.

He expressed shock at the development, saying it was a strange case and that other people could be at risk especially that the culprits are at large.

And Chipta Central Hospital Senior Medical Superintendent Dr. Mbinga said Phiri suffered a traumatic amputation of his genitals as well as a fractured thigh bone.

He said Phiri was admitted to the hospital, describing his condition as stable and that he was out of danger.

“Yes, I can confirm that we received this case on Thursday. He suffered a traumatic shock. That is to say that his genitals were cut off. He also suffered a fractured thigh bone. He is currently admitted in our facility and condition is stable and out of danger,” said Dr. Mbinga.

Dr. Mbinga indicated that the hospital was working on ensuring that the wound heals, adding that doctors had since inserted a tube through which the patient was using to pass urine.

However, efforts by this blogger to get a comment from the victim failed as the hospital administration has imposed restricted visits on the patient due to the shock he suffered from the bizarre incident.

This blogger was further told that counseling sessions have been line-up for Phiri so as to help him go through the healing process.

And other sources talked by this blogger on condition of anonymity revealed that Phiri hailed from Malawi and that he had no relatives in Zambia.  

For now, until investigations have been fully exhausted, the motive behind this gruesome attack remains unknown.

   

    

SHISHA TRIUMPHS OVER PARLEY AXING AS MOTION MOVER TAKES A BOW

By Onishias Maamba

PARLIAMENT on Wednesday, rejected a private members motion bill for government to ban the smoking of Shisha in the country.

Shisha smoking also called hookah, narghile, waterpipe, or hubble bubble smoking is a way of smoking tobacco, sometimes mixed with fruits or molasses sugar, through a bowl and hose tube.

In moving the motion, Kasenengwa Member of Parliament, Sensio Banda urged government to ban the smoking of Shisha in the country due to the numerous dangers it poses on human life such as cancer among others.

Mr. Banda also expressed worry that most teenagers were abusing the substance due to peer pressure.

In seconding the motion, UPND Itezhi-Tezhi MP, Hebert Shabula said it had to be banned in Zambia because its effects were grave on society.

“Shisha affects the lungs, the heart and everything that a human being uses to breath. And when we become sick as Zambians, the following will happen, we shall not report for work because we are sick, production will go down because we are sick. The income of the nation will go down, many companies will close down and many people will be thrown in the streets, then what happens, there will be more malnutrition, more deaths, crime will go up, reason, we have allowed shisha to be smoked in all these places. Madam Speaker, I am urging this government to take an action now not tomorrow, to ban Shisha smoking in the country including ‘Insuko,’ madam I submit,” he said.

And Keembe MP, Princesses Kasune who also contributed to the debate felt the need to ban Shisha smoking which had become a common trend in the nation.

“It is worrying that Zambia sits among the countries where tobacco increase is on the rise and this is because such products as shisha which are a disguise of smoking are also on the increase. Madam speaker, if shisha continues on the increase in this country, in terms of usage, the damage to the country and in particular the contribution to non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) is very great. We do know already that as a country our cases of NDC’s has increased and we have seen a lot of premature deaths and I would argue that products such as shisha are a factor to the increase of NCD’s. Madam Speaker, I also want to add that because of allowing of such products as shisha, we are also allowing our young people to be introduced to smoking at a very early age,” she said.

Shisha can

But in a sharp counter contribution, Mitete MP, Misheck Mutelo argued that government didn’t need to ban shisha because the mover of the motion failed to present facts that would warrant such a move by the government.

Mr. Mutelo further contended that it was going to be unreasonable to ban shisha based on the believe that it was a contributing factor to NCD’s, while junk foods which had the same properties are left to trade on the market.

“I have really heard the motion, the mover and the seconder debating. I may likely take a few minutes not to urge government to ban the use smoking of shisha, because listening to the debaters, they have been saying this is a practice that has been going on, they have not stated as to when it started. Now today they are saying because of A,B,C,D let it be banned, here madam speaker are the junk foods, are we also saying they should be banned? They are also a genesis, they cause a lot of diseases, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, is the mover also going to urge government to ban all these foods? Where are we just concerned about disadvantages of Shisha, where are the advantages so that we balance, he questioned?

And Kalomo UPND Central MP, Harry Kaboni held that the mover of the motion should have instead urged government on a number of issues and not singling out shisha.

“For example HIV which has killed many people comes in from sex, so my question is are we going to ban sex? So what am suggesting to the mover of the motion is that he should have urged the government on a number of issues. People must take responsibility, because even cars we drive, people die in large numbers because of accidents, so are we going to ban all the cars because we have road accidents that kill people? The bottom line here is to take responsibility, and so before we can come to the issue of banning, the research on banning shisha has not been properly done. If we ban shisha, then we should ban the whole smoking all together because the disadvantages that we are talking about are very similar. May view is that, it is not appropriate to bring such a motion when we have so many things that are health hazards,” he said.

Additionally, Kasama Central MP, Kelvin Sampa, felt it was not prudent to discuss the motion to ban the smoking of shisha when the nation had serious economic challenges to address, charging that the motion was misplaced.

“If we look at Shisha itself, it’s like any other ordinary cigarette and it’s even lighter. Now to bring this motion before the house to discuss shisha when we have got serious issues and economic challenges in the country, especially with the problem of codeine, were we are having our young children being admitted in hospitals every day, the statistics are even increasing and it’s even more dangerous than talking about shisha. And we have got by-laws that are being administered through the councils to regulate people that are smoking in public places. So with this motion I think it is misplaced madam speaker,” he added.

And to hit the final nail in the coffin, Health Minister, Chitalu Chilufya called for the needed to a comprehensive approach when dealing with health hazards and not cherry picking.

“Madam Speaker, it is a fact that shisha is harmful to health, shisha yes contain tar, carbon monoxide it does also contain and is part of the products that yet will predispose people to ill health in the long term. Madam speaker the best way however, to address matters to do with hazards to health, is not to cherry pick and pick out one thing and then ban this, the best is to take a comprehensive approach to the issues that pertain say tobacco. Madam speaker, I would urge the honourable member to engage the executive, that his contribution is part of a broader framework to address the issues of food or products that expose the population to ill health. So we will not agree to the approach of making bans of individual items through motions on the floor of the house. I urge the MP that while he is on terra fema on the ill effect of this substance [Shisha] let us engage and discuss broader policy approaches to ensuring that we protect the public from ill-health through discussing the effects of nicotine addiction and broader aspects many other hazards that will predispose people to NCD’s, we do not support this motion in its current version,” he said.

In winding debate, mover of the motion, Sensio Banda withdraw it, but pledged to come back to the house with a much more comprehensive approach.

“Firstly, I would like to thank members both who supposed the motion and those who objected to the motion. Obviously this has been an entry point as it relates to shisha and obviously like I did allude during my debate on the effects of shisha and am sure it’s very clear to this house.  However, it is in view of the advice the Ministry of Health has raised, as to how best this matter can be addressed, I would indict  that I withdraw the motion and come back to this house so that we can have a comprehensive approach to this motion,” said Mr. Banda.