5 people die of AIDS every minute.

Every. Minute.

According to UNAIDS, there are now 39.5 million people living with HIV, including 2.3 million children, and during 2006 some 4.3 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.

There is still no cure for AIDS. The best method is prevention. Just because there are antiretrovirals now does not mean that HIV/AIDS are “no big deal”. It is a very big deal.

Know The Facts!

There are four ways to get HIV:

1. Unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner (the most common);

2. Sharing needles or other contaminated injection or skin-piercing equipment;

3. Blood and blood products through, for example, infected transfusions and organ or tissue transplants;

4. Transmission from infected mother to child in the womb or at birth and breastfeeding.

Condoms are the only form of contraception that will protect you from HIV.

Global health funding at the World Health Organisation (WHO) is skewed
towards infectious diseases and does not reflect the actual health
needs of recipient countries, say researchers in The Lancet this month (1
November).

The United Kingdom-based team compared the allocations for infectious
diseases, chronic non-communicable diseases and injury with their burden
- deaths and number of productive years of life lost due to a disease
- in each budget cycle of the WHO from 1994-95 to 2008-09.

They looked at whether there was a difference between the regular WHO
budget, to which all member states contribute and which is decided by
democratic consensus, and extra-budgetary funds, which are voluntary and
most often come from developed countries.

They found consistent evidence that funding is skewed towards
infectious diseases. In 2006-07, for example, infectious diseases,
non-communicable diseases and injury received 87, 12 and one per cent of funds
respectively. This skew was even more extreme in the extra-budgetary funds.

The pattern was the same in both Africa and the Western Pacific,
despite differing patterns of disease burden - Africa has a high infectious
disease burden and relatively low non-communicable diseases, while the
opposite is true in the Western Pacific.

Lead author David Stuckler, research fellow in the department of
sociology at the University of Oxford, told SciDev.Net that it was possible
the gap was even wider in other global health-related organisations such
as the World Bank and the Gates Foundation.

He added that many institutions follow the WHO's lead in global health.
"WHO has the opportunity to step out as a bold leader for setting
global health priorities. Yet it, in part, is transferring this
decision-making role away from its member states to private donors. Our study
echoes the point that we need democracy in global public health."

He said that infectious diseases are prioritised for a variety of
reasons, which include the North's perception of a threat from Southern
infectious diseases; perceived economic cost; and a holdover from the WHO's
inception when infectious diseases were prevalent.

"Our analysis suggests that donors are giving money out of geopolitical
or economic interests, rather than based on the actual health needs of
recipients," he said. Martin McKee, co-author of the study, from the
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, added that "the 2008
Bamako ministerial forum offers a rare opportunity to reassess research
priorities".

Addressing the forum's delegates, Stuckler said: "Consider whether the
way money is being allocated is in the best interests of those
receiving the funds. Try to establish systems for oversight and for empowering
health ministries to set their own priorities through democracy, [and]
not only through private philanthropy."

Education is a basic human right, and every person has the right to education.
As much as Zambia has signed to a number of conventions on human rights which includes the U.N conventions on Human rights, Education still remains a privilege.
Do you know the background to why education is not a right in Zambia?
Does the constitution of Zambia clearly spell out that education is a right?
Do you think Education Should be included in the bill of rights ( Part III of the Constitution of Zambia)?

Please help me Define the questions as it will help me is developing my advocacy strategy.

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has pledged to fight poverty and improve the living conditions of all Zambians irrespective of their political or religious affiliations.

In his inaugural speech soon after being sworn in as the country’s fourth president, Mr Banda said his main goal would be to fight poverty.

He said in the last seven years, the Government had made tremendous efforts in reducing the poverty levels but there was still a lot to be done.

“Too many Zambians have been left behind. They do not share in the economic prosperity of the Zambian economy.

‘‘My priority will be to fight poverty. I made it clear during the campaigns that poverty is demeaning and an unnecessary evil,” he said.

Mr Banda said he did not want people to think of Zambia as a Third World country with a begging bowl.

In the campaigns running to the just-ended election, he said that even his opponents brought out the issue of poverty levels among Zambians, stressing that it would be his main priority area to address.

“I cannot promise to solve the problems in just three years but I can lay the foundation for the future. I want all Zambians to know that Zambia will be safe and secure under my presidency,” Mr Banda said.

He said his vision would be to move the nation from perpetually depending on handouts from donors to ensuring that Zambia was a prosperous and confident nation.

Mr Banda said he would ensure that the dream of making Zambia a middle-income nation by 2030 was realised.

He added that he would ensure that the education sector was improved as that was the only way of empowering the future generation.

Over the past seven years, he said, the Government had worked hard to ensure that the economy was on track to reduce poverty.

Since 2003, the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) had risen from 3.3 per cent to 6.2 per cent.

The growth, President Banda said, was in all the sectors, among them, manufacturing, construction, tourism, transport and communications.

“As a percentage of GDP, the service sector has grown from over 50 per cent to 56.5 per cent. Inflation is down from over 25 per cent to 13.2 per cent. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has risen from US$255 million in 2003 to over $4.25 billion for 2008.

Mr Banda said he was going to tackle corruption head-on because the vice sapped investor confidence.

With the stability in the economy, foreign investors have found the country attractive for their investment.

The president said the Government would continue to encourage investors so that they contribute towards the fight against poverty.

He, however, said foreign investors should obey and respect the country’s labour laws.

President Banda said foreign investment helped to generate revenue used for, among others, modernising the communication facilities, rehabilitating roads, improving the energy sector, and construction of more education and health facilities.

“I will continue to make sure that all in Zambia can improve their living conditions,” Mr Banda said.
He also implored foreigners to come to Zambia and sample the country’s tourism.

He said the reason he promised to reduce visa fees was to attract as many tourists as possible into the country so that the revenue generated from their visits could be used to fight poverty.

Mr Banda said because of the realisation that farmers play an important role in reducing poverty, the Government would continue to support them in producing food.

He said farmers should take advantage of the reduction in the prices of fuel and fertiliser to produce more.

He said that alongside the agricultural sector, mining was also fundamental to the Government. The sector, Mr Banda said, was responsible for 80 per cent of the export earnings and almost 15 per cent of GDP.

He said foreign investment in the sector had totalled over US$4 billion since 2000. That, he said, was an indication of the confidence that the investors had in the Government.

Since 2002, he said, the Government policies had brought growth and stability in the sector resulting in the increase in production by over 38 per cent.

Mr Banda pledged to attract more investors in the energy sector to enable Zambians have access to electricity. He said without reliable electricity, much of the country’s economy was hindered.

He said he envisioned a Zambia without load-shedding and, therefore, pledged to upgrade the existing power stations, saying by 2016 five new hydro-generating projects would be in progress.

Mr Banda further said he envisaged improving the health sector and help reduce the levels of life-threatening diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria, among others.
He said he would be happy to see a Zambia with refurbished hospitals, better training for medical personnel and strengthen the staff retention scheme.

THE Government has signed a US$75 million project financing agreement with the World Bank aimed at increasing access to electricity services, efficiency and quality of the country’s electricity distribution system.

The project would assist Zesco in implementing demand side management measures as a cost effective short-term response to mitigate the current power shortage and facilitate expansion.

World Bank country representative Kapil Kapoor signed on behalf of the bank’s International Development Agency (IDA) while the Zambian Government was represented by Finance and National Planning minister, Ng’andu Magande.

Dr Kapoor said once the project is implemented, it would connect 18,000 new customers in Northern, Central and Eastern regions as well as other rural areas which include households, commercial customers, agriculture processing mills, clinics and many more.

He said effective implementation of these projects by Zesco or the private sector would need to be supported by cost reflective tariffs that safe-guarded operations as well as Zesco’s improved operational efficiencies.

He said increasing the number of metered customers along with billings and collections could significantly impact on revenues to support new projects.

Dr Kapoor said improving operational efficiency and reducing staff costs to competitive levels would also increase consumer confidence and allow significant cost savings.

To achieve the national vision of becoming a middle income economy by 2030, Zambia would need to expand its economy faster than the six per cent a year and that central to this would be the ability to meet the increasing demands for electricity.

He said supporting the development of new mines and industries, coupled with meeting growing household demands, required increased capacity to produce power.

He said Zambia also needed to undertake reforms that addressed inefficiencies within the existing system to reduce losses, cut operating costs and stimulate investments.

The current rate of access to electricity was only 20 per cent nationwide and three per cent in rural areas but government intended to increase it to 50 per cent by 2030 and achieving that was estimated to cost US$1 billion or annual expenditure of US$50 million for the next 22 years

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader, Michael Sata, has said there will be no presidential elections in 2011 because whoever will be elected president in this month-end’s election is supposed to rule for five years.

And Mr Sata has pledged to restore dignity to Kabwe town by reviving all closed and ailing industries in the once mining district, if elected president.

Speaking at a public rally in Kabwe at the weekend, Mr Sata said that whoever would emerge winner in the October 30 election was expected to reign for five years and therefore there would only be parliamentary and local government elections in 2011.

Mr Sata said that apart from in the case of death and incapacitation, anyone elected President of Zambia was supposed to rule for five years and therefore the next elections would be in 2013, five years from now.

During the same rally the PF presidential candidate alleged that service chiefs in Zambia had started transferring officers to disenfranchise them and ensure that they did not vote for him.

Mr Sata said it was bad for the commanders to do that and called for the postponement of the transfers and sending officers for refresher courses just to make sure they did not vote.

On development, Mr Sata said if elected, he would ensure that Kabwe was returned to its glory days by ensuring that he revived all industries which were currently either closed or performing dismally.

Mr Sata said that his government would invite new investors, rather than the Chinese, for Mulungushi Textiles to revive the factory which was once a pride of the town.

He would equally address the operations at Kabwe Industrial Fabric Corporation (KFICO) and other companies.

He said Kabwe occupied a special place in the wellbeing of Zambia and that should be reflected through its economic status.

In the military arena, Mr Sata said that all defence and security related training being offered in Zambia would be moved to Kabwe to harmonise their operations and improve the district’s status as a garrison town.

In the same vein the Kabwe Airstrip would be upgraded into a fully-fledged airport which would also be used by ZAF for its training purposes.

Mr Sata assured that he would continue with the crusade against HIV/AIDS and would continue providing free antiretroviral treatment to all Zambians living with the virus to mitigate the scourge.

Mr Sata said he would not demolish squatter townships like Makululu and Katondo but would upgrade them saying that there was no way some people should continue living in ramshackles while other were building mansions.

He said it was the duty of the Government to accommodate its people and pledged to embark on a national housing project in all the districts for the accommodation of the people noting that many categories of people did not benefit from the Chiluba housing empowerment scheme.

A MYSTERIOUS disease with symptoms of flu, bleeding and vomiting suspected to have originated from Zambia has claimed four lives in South Africa.

The Government has, however, assured the nation that there has not been any reported case of the killer disease anywhere in the country and called for calm.

Health Minister Brian Chituwo said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that the ministry was in total control and all travel should continue normally.

Dr Chituwo said the first person to suffer from the unknown disease was a female South African who was resident in Zambia and fell ill on September 4.

She was evacuated to Morningside Clinic where she later died on September 13, this year.

“The second victim was a paramedic who escorted the patient to South Africa. The third victim was a nurse based at Morningside that attended to the first patient,” Dr Chituwo said.

He said the third victim was a nurse based at the clinic who had attended to the first patient. Reports indicate that the driver of the ambulance that ferried the patient from Lanseria Airport to Morningside was also in a critical condition.

He said all the patients developed fever, cough and bled from various parts of their bodies.

Dr Chituwo said laboratory investigations so far done did not point to any particular known disease.

Dr Chituwo said the mysterious disease had so far claimed three lives in South Africa but The Star online news of the same country reported yesterday that another person, a cleaner, died yesterday morning.

The Star reported that the cleaner who worked at the same health institution died in the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

It quotes Gauteng Health spokesperson Zanele Mngadi as having said that the woman was initially admitted to Leratong Hospital but was later transferred to the specialised Charlotte Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

Dr Chituwo said the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) was still carrying out all the necessary investigations.

Dr Chituwo urged members of the public to report any suspicious case presenting with fever, cough and bleeding from any part of the body to the nearest health facility.

IN many of Chongwe District’s surrounding villages, two worlds have been brought together over the last two months and two diversely clashing cultures have blended.

This culture gap is what the late and youngest yet American President, John F Kennedy hoped to bridge when he challenged students at the University of Michigan in 1960 to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries.

His speech so ricocheted in the hearts of those who heard it that from it was birthed an agency of the federal government devoted to world peace and friendship.

Established in 1961 was the Peace Corps with the guiding principles to promote a better understanding of other people in the world on behalf of Americans; to promote a better understanding of Americans on behalf of other people and to help the population of interested countries meet the need for qualified peoples.

In 1993, Zambia became a destination for those Americans who wished to move away from their social isolation and embrace the ideas and cultural dynamics of people in other lands.

Adjusting to an entire new culture is what Peace Corps volunteers must be prepared for before they embark on a journey that will eventually make them view the world in a different light.

It’s not just the sky - scrapers and flashy cars that the volunteers would not have the pleasure of seeing for another two years, but even the launderettes, hot dogs and burgers that constitute every day American life have to be given up for the simplicity of ordinary rural life in developing countries.

Aston Godwin had always wanted the opportunity to see the world and particularly to see Africa.

His chance came this year when he was selected as a Peace Corps volunteer and told that Zambia would become his second home for the next two years.

Originally from the state of Georgia, Aston knew that traveling to Africa would be the experience of a lifetime for him and would change his perspective of the outside world forever.

“I had always been interested in volunteer work and I always wanted the chance to make a difference in other people’s lives,” he says.

At Auburn University in the US, he studied politics but when he finally graduated in 2006, he suddenly lost interest in politics and decided to turn his long burning desire into reality.

For the past two months he has been living at Kakubo village in Chongwe with his newly adopted family, which numbered 12 when Aston joined them.
Chongwe has been the training ground for him as well as for other Peace Corps volunteers since two months ago as they received training on how to adapt to rural life.

He came to Zambia deliberately without any expectations he says but he has had a great experience so far.

“The beauty of Zambia and the generosity of the Zambian people is what I have fallen in love with since getting here,” he said.

At the Peace Corps swearing in ceremony, Aston will be posted to Chibumbe village in Mkushi and it is there that he will be put to the acid test.

Saying bye to his adopted Zambian family in Chogwe will be hard but he will at least appreciate the fact that much of the survival language he now knows is because of them.

Since that first challenge presented to Americans in 1960, more than 190 thousand Peace Corps volunteers have served in 139 host countries to work on issues ranging from HIV/AIDS to information technology and environmental preservation.

To mark the close of one challenging chapter and the opening of another, Aston and his fellow volunteers were given the chance to cook American food for their adopted families in Chongwe in a show of appreciation to them for having kept them the past two months.

The event dubbed, the Culture Day Programme, took place at Chongwe’s Chalimbana Teachers’ Training College and the cooking which was done using braziers in the blistering Chongwe heat, produced a mix of foods ranging from hot dogs and burgers to curry and fried onions.

Some of Chongwe’s mothers, fathers, boys and girls lined up to taste the food that their adopted children had made especially for them.

It was a bittersweet moment. Chongwe had become a home away from home for the American volunteers and now their brazier - made presentation was to mark a fitting farewell to their Zambian families.

Alexandra Chen, the youngest one of the Peace Corps bunch that was training in Chongwe, has had a hard time getting used to eating nshima twice a day though she has slowly been getting used to it.

It’s not like she has that much of a choice considering she will be posted to a village in Lundazi following the swearing-in ceremony where she will be living for the next two years.

“Getting used to having nshima everyday has been a huge adjustment but I don’t have too many options,” she said.

Like Aston, Alexandra too has been blown away by the generosity of Zambians and has been learning Tumbuka to prepare her for her two-year stay in Lundazi.

Once every week she talks to her parents and sister in America when Zain accords her the chance she says.
“I manage to call and keep in touch with my family back home at least once a week and that’s if the Zain network is functioning.”

“So far it’s not so much a wonderful world,” she adds with a giggle.
Under a grass-thatched chalet, the Chongwe families gathered and listened to speeches by the trainees that were delivered in various local languages.

There was some tongue twisting here and there as the trainees read the speeches out, coupled with a little hesitation, then the clearing of a throat and finally a rapturous applause by the families in attendance.

Country director Cindy Threlkeld, presented certificates to the ‘new’ families and as she did so, there were bursts of ululation from various corners of the chalet let out by jubilant ‘new’ mothers.

One of those mothers was Agnes Kalunga who happened to have 22-year-old American Paul, as an adopted son.
Paul has been learning Bemba in preparation for his stay in the Northern Province.

Agnes said Paul had slowly become a part of the family and she had gotten so used to having him in the house that saying goodbye was not going to be easy.

“Paul was taught how to clean the house, wash his clothes and how to cook because every member of the family has to do their chores,” she said.

Currently, Zambia has 200 Peace Corps volunteers in seven out of its nine provinces and this represents the largest Peace Corps contingent in all of Africa.

According to Ms Threlkeld, volunteers in Zambia have learnt that in life it is important to share who they are not just what they know.

She said one of the biggest challenges for the volunteers was learning how to enter a rural community quietly and with respect.

During its four-decade history, the Peace Corps has adapted to the issues of the times and in a world that is constantly changing, Peace Corps volunteers learn that they have to meet new challenges with innovation, creativity, determination and compassion otherwise they would have failed to achieve the mission of the Peace Corps.

In the various rural communities where they will be serving, Aston, Alexandra and Paul will help build fish-ponds, initiate community health projects and put their hand to the plough as they learn that in their new way of life, they must dig up the field if they are to have food in their bellies.

There will be no launderettes or fast food restaurants where they are going, but their training in Chongwe would have prepared them for even what seems to be such small changes.

The drone of drums beating filled the scorching mid afternoon as the trainees and their families formed a circle and danced away to traditional music.

It marked the end of their schooling in Chongwe and as their initiation was complete, it meant they were now ready to take on their real jobs in some of Zambia’s numerous villages.

It has been a year I m in TIG. wow....................................................I m really happy . But I wish I could spend more time here. Anyways, from now on, I would try to do that.

MR Michael Sata has come to us in recent days telling us that he has the vision and knows the legacy of our beloved late president, Levy Mwanawasa’s achievements and would like to carry on from where he left.

He has used this platform to champion his campaign for the presidency.
This gives reason why the former first lady, Maureen Mwanawasa reacted against him in Chipata, telling him not to use the funeral of her husband for campaigns.

God calls all Christians to be his imitators and follow his values in choosing leadership when God gave us Dr Mwanawasa (Romans 13).

He used these same values indicated below. It also shows why Dr Mwanawasa was the preferred candidate in the 2006 tripartite elections.

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loves us and gave Himself to us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

“But among you, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity or greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

“For of this you can be sure no immoral, impure or greedy person such as a man is an idolator has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be partners with them.

“For you were once in darkness but now you are in the Lord. Live as children of light (For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth, and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said wake up O sleeper, rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you.

“Be very careful how you live not as unwise but as wise people, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.

“Therefore, do not be foolish but rather understand what the Lord’s will is.

“Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

“Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord always giving thanks to God the father for everything, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:1-20)

Truly speaking, Levy exhibited the qualities of love towards the people of Zambia including his enemies and what if Mr Sata does not fall under the above highlighted values.

“As Christians, the Bible calls us to have nothing to do with people of such nature because the wrath of God will visit us.

How does Mr Sata expect to carry on the legacy of our beloved president Mwanawasa when he is on record, during the 2006 general elections, that he was going to drop corruption charges against those facing such?

Further, Mr Sata has asked some members of his party in Parliament to campaign for him only if they dropped out of the National Constitutional Conference.
Something Levy cherished, to see a new Constitution for the people of Zambia.

The problem of a double-minded person is that you do not know what he is going to do or say next

It is a matter of great shame that all across Asia, about a million children are forced into sex trade. The story does not end here, however. There are also lots of children who are being sexually abused in the safe corner of their homes, girls as well boys. Unfortunately, in most cases, these innocent children are abused by their caregiver or relatives.

But less than a handful of initiatives are taken to prevent these crimes. We must step up to protect the children and provide the victims with proper counselling so that they recover from the trauma and get on with their lives.

I would again come up with this issue in TIG and have a brief discussion. Till then, adieu.

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema has promised to deliver the best economic policies if he is elected president in the October 30 elections.
Mr Hichilema told journalists yesterday after he filed in his nomination papers before Chief Justice, Ernest Sakala that the best for Zambia were policies that would move the country forward.
He said Zambians should understand that there was time for change and that this could only be achieved if they voted for a new leadership.
Mr Hichilema who was accompanied by his wife Mutinta, said the electorate could not continue voting for the same leadership and expect the country to change.
Shortly before filing his papers, Mr Hichilema paid the K20 million nomination fee and had his 200 supporters screened by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
He later told his supporters that they should remember when they cast their votes that their children were not attending school and that his party would provide free education for all.
He said he did not like discrimination because all people regardless of tribe or race had equal rights and should not vote on tribal or party lines.
In his statement of assets and liabilities, Mr Hichilema said he has net assets worth K38.8 billion.
He said he has land and buildings worth K20 billion, K7 billion in shares, receivables worth K2 billion, bank cash of K100 million and others amounting to K11 billion.
On liabilities he has K800 million bank loans, K300 million payables and K200 million contingent.
As Mr Hichilema was filing his nomination papers from about 10:30 hours to 11:20 hours scores of his supporters sang solidarity songs while some of them took to the streets.
After filing in his nomination papers Mr Hichilema led his supporters on foot from the Supreme Court to Kamwala where he held a rally.
Speaking at the campaign rally, Mr Hichilema said he would extend the free education policy to grade 12 because education was the driving factor for national development.
“Education is important and Zambia can only develop if its citizens have access to free education in the country.
“I can assure you my government will also make sure all health institutions are equipped with required drugs to cut the costs of evacuating patients abroad,” Mr Hichilema said
On Zesco load shedding, Mr Hichilema said his government would construct two new hydro power stations because Zambia had abundant water resources, which he said were not utilised.
He said he would also improve the working conditions of all civil servants in a bid to prevent corruption, which he said was on the increase due to workers’ poor salaries.
Commenting on the proposed salary increments for constitution office holders, Mr Hichilema said his government would channel the funds into giving loans to marketeers across Zambia.

It was not a new song for me and I didn't put an attention to that sad song until someday in the summer 2005 i met a friend with a bunch of R&B songs in mp3 format. The only one original cd my friend got was that single 'first love' utada hikaru's japanesse R&B in 4 version which bought in early 2000.

My Friend played that song and started to dance as it wasn't a brokenheart song.
I knew It was not match but i didn't care...I was very happy to see the dance and
felt like i blow the dandelion...

+ + +

Saigono kiss wa
tabakono flavor gashita
nigakute setsunaikaori
ashitano imagoroniwa
anatawa dokoniirundarou
darewo omotterundarou

(Once in a while
You are in my mind
I think about the days that we had
And i dream that these would all come back to me
If only you knew every moment in time
Nothing goes on in my heart
Just like your memories
How I want here to be with you
Once more)


you are always gonna be my love
itsuka darekatomata koiniochitemo
i’ll remember to love
you taught me how
you are always gonna be the one
imawa madakanashii love song
atarashi uta utaerumade

tachidomaru jikanga
ugokidasou to shiteru
wasuretakunai kotobakari

+ + +

I am only 17, yet I am a school teacher now. I teach students of class 1 to 7 . Its fun, but sometimes pressure of checking copies, dealing with naughty students or annoying parents can get on your nerves sometimes. yet I love my job.

After I started doing this job, I have become more serious in my studies, which is really great...............................

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president, Michael Sata has ruled out the possibility of an electoral pact with the United Party for National Development (UPND), saying his party is strong enough to win the presidential election on its own.

Speaking on a live Radio Phoenix programme in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Sata said he could not support UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema, for the Republican presidency because he had enough young people capable of taking over from him within the PF.

Mr Sata also accused the UPND of desperately trying to show that it had a lot of support by stealing pictures of PF supporters who attended one of his recent rallies and using them on UPND’s website to show that it was working with the PF.

“Our supporters out there should know that there is no pact between us and the UPND although the party is using pictures of our rallies to confuse the people that we are together,” Mr Sata said.

He said the people of Zambia set their priorities when they made him come second after late Levy Mwanawasa in the 2006 elections and he was confident that he would win the elections this time around.

He said his mission was to change the face of Zambia and reiterated his 2006 campaign promise that if elected, the people would start feeling the positive impact of the change of Government within 90 days.

He said the PF would bring development and Zambians abroad seeking greener pastures would return home.

Asked what would happen if he lost the election, Mr Sata said he would then get back to reorganise the party for 2011 elections because Zambians did not even anticipate that an election would be held this year.

“Losing the election would not be the end. When I just started PF, some people were saying I would not last because I was going to run broke but see where we are today,” Mr Sata said.

He also justified his recent change of heart regarding Chinese investment, saying he had decided to do so because the Chinese authorities were now working with authorities in Taiwan.

The PF leader said it was surprising that a lot of people had condemned him for aligning himself with the Taiwanese when the Government of China was also dealing with Taiwan.

He said he was grateful to the late Dr Mwanawasa for having sent him to South Africa for treatment and he was now very fit to run for the presidency.