WOMEN AND THE SCHOOL REUNION DRAMA

Many women prefer not to attend their school re-unions because the pressure to be successful - and look it - is immense.

Not only do they have to be at the top of their chosen careers, they also have to have the perfect family, live in the ‘right’ neighbourhood, have their children enrolled in the ‘right’ schools and have a good, romantic rich man to cap it all.

It is not beyond the extremely competitive women to rent expensive cars in order to make a grand entrance at a reunion. Getting to the venue of the reunion in a matatu or a taxi is just not an option for them.

Jennifer Mugendi,28, has skipped several of her campus reunions because of her weight. “I used to be really small in campus but after having my son I gained a lot of weight, the last thing I want to hear is people saying how big I have become,” she said.

Last month she skipped her college reunion because of this. She feels pressured to go back to her previous size because she does not feel attractive among her peers.

“Nowadays having kids is not an excuse to be big, women go to the gym as soon as they have them,” she says.

She intends to lose as much weight as she can before she attends another reunion. “Then I can go and show off my body to the envy of my girlfriends.”

For Mugendi, what her girlfriends have achieved and how they look is of utmost importance. She cannot be ‘upstaged’ as she puts it and that is why she will not be seen at any reunion in her current size.

She says there are some women from her class who look like they are 28 going on 50 and she has no intention of ever joining this group.

“Even when I get to 50, I do not want to look it so you can imagine how they are castigated because of how they look,” she observes.

“Women are very competitive, we peg our achievements on those of our peers,” she explains. For Mugendi as with other women, success is only achieved when other women envy her.

Life does not treat everyone equally after high school and there is bound to be a group of those who are very successful and others who will struggle financially for a better part of their lives.

Bottom of class
In high school, the girls rate themselves according to how academically gifted they are. There is no guarantee in life that the academically gifted students are the ones who will make it in life.

The ones at the bottom of the class might just marry into money or be good at business while the gifted ones are pursuing their studies. Once they complete their studies, they enter into an already crowded job market and have to fight with other equally gifted people for the same opportunities.

Pauline Makokha has experienced this, “I got married very young, the year after I completed high school.”
She did this because she had failed her high school exams and “school was just not for me.”

She married a man 11 years her senior, she was nineteen at the time. “I went for one of the reunions and felt like an outsider,” she recalls.
The girls were talking about college and their boyfriends while she was thinking about her son whom she had at twenty.

“Five years later, the roles were reversed, the same girls who were having fun in college were now looking for jobs and my business was up and running.”

She felt good going for her last reunion two years ago. “They were now looking up to me for advice, me, the girl they had dismissed as a failure,” she said.

Laura Kenyani has also had unpleasant experiences at reunions. “High school reunions make me feel unaccomplished because I am yet to find a job,” she says.

Kenyani has been studying law. She recently completed her post-graduate studies at the Kenya School of Law and is awaiting admission to the bar.

These accomplishments fade into the background when she is around her high school girlfriends. “My high school has produced many high profile individuals who are always in the media for one accomplishment or another,” she says.

She went to State House girls high school. From her year, two of her classmates have won the Miss Kenya title and others are TV presenters.
Another one of her former classmates Lydia Maina agrees that reunions come with a lot of pressure.

Her good friend from high school recently got married and had a baby. “I was very happy for her but I started feeling like I was missing something,” she says.

Margaret Kagendo, another one of their friends agrees. “We are at that age where we are expected to be thinking about marriage and babies and at reunions everyone comes with pictures of their babies,” she laughs.

“When our friend got married we all felt a bit jealous because she looks so content and happy.”

“Those without children have to smile through detailed accounts of baby stories from proud mothers,” Kagendo said. “ If you do not have kids, then you have to justify this by being a high achiever in your career,” stresses Maina.

This has made many women go back to school for post-graduate studies just so they can feel as if they measure up in the eyes of their peers.

“I see our generation as that of superwomen we are expected to go to work and also find time to build a family,” Kagendo observes. “ I am yet to go to a reunion where one of my friends from high school or college has become a stay-at-home mum.”

According to Kenyani, nowadays success is measured by the amount of money you have in the bank. It does not matter whether you have a good, hardworking husband and healthy children. If you live in a low cost estate you are not successful.

Carol Wambui was with the girls in high school but she transferred at the end of her first year to go to a school in South Africa.

She stayed there until the end of her undergraduate studies. She studied law at the university and getting a job here has been an uphill task. Just like Kenyani she gets uneasy when she listens to people going on about their careers.

“The fact that jobs are hard to come by, is no excuse at these reunions,” she says.

Men
Men are another issue at the reunions. Kagendo says that women will always ask each other about the men in their lives, woe unto you if you do not have a man to talk about.

“Some women will stay with abusive men just so that they can say they have boyfriends when asked about their love lives,” she said.

Psychologist Dr Christine Mweu who runs a clinic in Hurlingham says that the competitive nature of women makes any kind of reunion a very unpleasant experience.

“It does not matter whether it is a family or school reunion, women will always want to out shine each other,” she says.

This is brought about by the need for belonging. “Every woman wants to belong to a successful group of women and that is why they will go to any lengths to belong,” she points out.

“They want to to be in on the secrets of the group and women can be very mean; they will cast you out if they feel that you do not measure up,”said Dr Mweu.
She advices women to be comfortable in their skins as this will make other women want to belong to ‘your’ group regardless of your social status.
www.nation.co.ke 

KATELE THANKS RB ADMINISTRATION

Chiengi Constituency MP Katele Kalumba has hailed government’s good agriculture policies which he says has helped boost food security in the area.

Speaking to ZANIS in an interview in Chiengi, Dr Kalumba said it is gratifying to note that government’s good agriculture policies had brought dividends to most people in the area as there was now more food grown than in the recent past.

Dr Kalumba said the policy has infact helped turn Chiengi from a mere fishing district to an agriculture area that is contributing to national food security.

The Parliamentarian said in the past Chiengi used to be just a village of fishermen that relied on relief food, but all that has changed because government has shown the people in the area that they can be able to produce food like any other region in Zambia.

“Look this area was just about fishing, but now it is producing maize because people have been shown that they can produce maize like other people elsewhere in the country,” Dr Kalumba said.

And Chiengi outgoing District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO) Stanley Chibwe said rice farmers in Chiengi district will greatly benefit from their produce if deliberate measures are taken to setup a rice milling and packaging plant as National Milling Company (NMC ) has done in Mongu.

He said lack of utilisation outlet like the rice milling in Mongu is affecting the business of rice farmers in Chiengi where farmers last year produced over 30,000 x 40 kg bags of rice.

ZANIS

WHO REGIONAL DIRECTOR WINDS UP VISIT TO ZAMBIA

World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa Regional Director Luis Sambo today left Zambia for Congo Brazzaville after inspecting projects on health in Chongwe and Ndola.

Among the projects he visited include the WHO donation of a Cold Room for storage of immunisation drugs at Ndola’s Chipulukusu worth US$150 000.

The WHO Regional Director left the country at 08 hours (am) at Lusaka International Airport aboard a British Airways. 

Dr. Sambo was seen off by WHO country Representative Dr. Olusegun Babaniyi and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Peter Mwaba.

Others were WHO Members of staff and other senior government officials.

Dr. Sambo arrived in the country on Monday this week left     to inspect health projects in the country.

While in Zambia, Dr. Sambo, also visited the newly built laboratory at Chongwe Rural Heath Centre and the Tropical Disease Research Centre (TDRC) in Ndola where he familiarised himself with its operations.

Dr Sambo said he was impressed with the Zambian government’s initiatives embarked on in the health sector.

ZANIS

ANGLICAN CHURCH TO WORK WITH GOVT

The Anglican Church in Zambia (ZAC) says it will continue to work with Government, Non- governmental organsiations NGOs and other churches in an effort to improve the lives of Zambian people..

ZAC  presiding  Bishop of Eastern Diocese William  Muchombo said the Anglican church  is among  the dominations that has been assisting  the Zambian people  through the provision of health, education  and other social needs , especially  in rural areas since 1910.

Bishop Muchombo added that the church was grateful to God for the wonderful works he had allowed the church to carry out in the country.

He said this during a press briefing held at Lusaka hotel to mark 100 years of the Anglican existence in Zambia.

The Anglican Church has for the past 6 months been carrying out activities in all its dioceses in the country to mark its centenary celebrations.

On October 31, the Church will have a thanksgiving service in Lusaka at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and President Rupiah Banda is expected to officiate at the service.

 And Anglican Church honourally Canon Dennis Liwewe said it is a great achievement that Zambia is a Christian nation hence the need for the young generation to know the word of God.

Mr Liwewe said God is on top of Christian nature from which the Anglican Church draws strength and described this as a good lesson to the young generation.

ZANIS

CHIEF KATHUMBA OF KATETE WARNS SUBJECTS AGAINST SHUNNING MEASLES IMMUNIZATION

Zambia child week file photo

Chief Kathumba of Katete district in Eastern province has warned people in his area against shunning immunization of measles being conducted by the ministry of health.
Chief Kathumba expressed sadness over some apostolic church members who are refusing to have their children immunized against measles saying the situation had led to 14 deaths in his area.
He was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Katete.
He noted that such people retard development adding that they should voluntarily leave his area because they were also deterring efforts by government to protect children from communicable diseases to avoid premature deaths.
Meanwhile, the traditional leader has commented government for constructing classroom blocks at three Basic schools in his area.
He named the three Basic schools as Gunda, Chimwalala and Chingaza.
Chief Kathumba expressed happiness that government had fulfilled its promise to construct classroom blocks at the named schools and that works were progressing well.
He stated that development of rural areas was dependent on an educated nation adding that the construction of the classroom blocks would enable children learn in an enabling environment.
The traditional leader has since warned parents who marry off their children of stern action against them.
He said the rural area development was dependent on children accessing quality education as it was key in social and economic progression.
ZANIS

KATETE DC APPEALS TO RESIDENTS TO WORK HARD

Katete District in Eastern Province - Zambia

Katete District Commissioner Eleman Mwanza has urged people in the district to work hard and be patriotic as a way of appreciating the attainment of independence by freedom fighters.

Mr Mwanza was speaking at the 46th Independence Day celebrations held at the show grounds in Katete yesterday.

The DC said the improvement of the economic and social status of Zambian citizens was dependent on a population which was able to produce food and appreciated efforts put in place by government.

Mr Mwanza said the 2010/2011 farming season was likely to produce another bumper harvest due to the increased number of beneficiaries under the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) which was expected to be over 20,000 in Katete alone.

Mr Mwanza also pointed out that the district was benefiting from government’s developmental projects being carried out across the country such as building of road infrastructure, schools and health facilities.

ZANIS

BUMPER HARVEST AND CHEAPER FOOD TAKE CENTRE STAGE ON INDEPENDENCE DAY

All of Zambia united yesterday in celebrating the nation’s 46th Independence Day. Speaking on this historic occasion, His Excellency Mr Rupiah Banda, President of Zambia, called on all Zambians to continue to follow the path of unity and peace laid down by the founding fathers and mothers of Zambia.
Reflecting on this year’s celebratory theme of “Consolidating Our Independence Through Food Security”, the President hailed his Government’s revised and improved farmer input support programme which delivered this year’s record breaking bumper maize harvest.
 President Banda said: “Join me in congratulating the farming community, particularly small scale farmers who are the majority in Zambia. Their contribution to the attainment of the Government’s policy objective of ensuring national food security is to be saluted”.
Under the President’s leadership Zambia is benefitting from this year’s biggest ever harvest, producing 2.78 million tonnes of maize – a surplus of more than 1 million tones – leading to a reduction in inflation rate to 7.7 per cent in September 2010.
Demonstrating his commitment to food security, President Banda has launched a programme of agriculture, infrastructure, health and education investment and development aimed at making agricultural supplies cheaper and more competitive. He now calls for the private sector to work together with the Government to build on this foundation in the quest for prosperity, growth and job security.
“I cannot stress enough the importance of national food security; if we cannot feed ourselves we are not truly independent. So as we take a moment to celebrate our independence through food security, I pledge that your government will continue maintaining economic stability and improving the investment climate to further foster growth for the benefit of all Zambians”.
Demonstrating his commitment to Zambia the President spoke of the importance of planning for the future of all Zambians, evident by the recent reduction of more than 80 per cent in childhood malnutrition. He called on all Zambians to part take in the newly launched Census which is currently sweeping through the country. The Census will help the Government to “plan in a way which will benefit our growing population,” the President said.   

JUST WHO CHOOSES WHO?

"We set out to find out between a man and a woman, whose opinion finally carries the day when it comes to choosing a life partner and the split was evident."

In a round-the-table evening party after a close friend’s wedding at the Sailing Club in Lang’ata last weekend, a debate ensued among a group of us over who between a man and a woman “chooses the other” when a relationship is moving to marriage.

One of the friends, an unmarried lady, was categorical that she believes women choose the men they want to marry them. On the other side, one of the married friends, a man, thinks he chose his wife and that she had few reasons, if any, of turning him down.

It got all of us thinking. Do men really choose their dear wives? Or do women make the ultimate decision on whether the relationsip moves to the next level or not?

Unlike in the old days when communities had mechanisms that made it utterly impossible for women to choose their husbands, the modern woman could easily list “her right to choose a husband “ among several of her other rights.

Saturday Magazine sought opinion from a cross section of readers.

“Men definitely choose who they want to sire children with. They look for specific characteristics. But this is changing since women are talking of equality and they also want to participate in making their own decisions,” says John Ayenda, a businessman in Nairobi.

Joseph Kimutai, a tour consultant and married for twenty five years, believes young men are no longer in a hurry to commit themselves and therefore women are getting impatient with them and take the role of determining the next level of relationship.

“For me, the ideal situation is where the man determines the direction of a relationship. This includes deciding when the two of you can call it a day or settle down,” he says and estimates the prevalence of women determining who to marry them.

“For me, 75 per cent of men choose their wives while 25 per cent of women choose who will marry them. This gap will narrow in due course,” he says and insists “it is out of experience”.

Most men believe it is the decision on whom to marry is their preserve, while Saturday Magazine learnt that the independent woman is increasingly taking it upon herself to chart the way forward.

Lydia Obara, 25, will not wait to be chosen by a man. Instead, she will only settle with the one she feels she can live with stress free.

“Often, women will have several men after them. Each man has his own interests. It will then be for me to consider my interest and choose the most favourable,” says the database administrator in Nairobi.

Wicky Ayietta, a social worker says a woman should determine who marries her. According to her, women are more concerned about their security and should therefore look for a man who guarantees this future.

“After staying with a man for a while, a woman should be able to know a man who is caring and worth an investment in life. Long gone are the days women will be dragged into bad marriages to lead miserable lives the rest of their lives,” says Ayietta, 27.

Obara and Ayietta are apt examples of the independent woman who believes time is ripe for women to be equal stakeholders in all spheres of life, including when and whom to marry.

Another school of thought among women however argues that the way to go is to have 50/50 participation of both parties.

“Both can choose. In earlier days, it was the men who were supposed to do the legwork but with changes in lifestyle, the women can also propose,” says Regina Wambui, 42.

In her opinion, women who are not married during their prime ages of 23 and 27, may find themselves in an urgency to move love to another level.

“There is a kind of generational competition. The aging women is in the field with younger women and because the men have drastically reduced their level of commitment, this independent woman will find herself wanting to make things in the relationship move faster,” says the businesswoman in Embakasi.

For Claudia Onsare, a woman can take charge of things if she feels her man is moving too slowly for her. However, she is categorical that the best way to do this is using non-verbal means as “men still believe it is their duty to propose to a woman”.

Onsare, a broadcast journalist, says it really takes a lot of guts for a woman to ask a man to marry her.

“There is the risk of looking like you are lording it over the man if you blatantly tell your man to move you in,” she says and adds, “the trick is to communicate to your man that you are ready and worthy to be somebody’s wife and mother without necessarily nagging him verbally,” she opines.

Other men believe it is their prerogative to decide when to marry and no amount of coercion or pressure from the woman should determine the marriage time.

Like Obara, Abednego Ateka, a recent graduate in accounting, says people normally have a selection of potential soulmates when they come of age and sampling is inevitable.

“When a man has several women on her neck, he samples who is best suited to his interest and therefore it is the man who decides who he will take in,” says Ateka who is still single and searching.

This view is easily picked by fellow man, Okibo Motari, a political activist from Kisii. “ I had always wanted to marry a brown woman as I am a bit dark, When I spotted Eunice, I instantly identified her as the woman I wanted to marry,” he says.

What was left for him, he says, was to sell his “policies” to her by way of wooing, and as he says, she played difficult for a while before yielding to his advances, “ Now in that case, who chooses who?” he poses.

Motari says the ideal situation has not really changed and the legwork remains a man’s work. Generally, in situations where the the woman is in control, the relationship is likely to experience a lot of problems sooner than later.

Lillian Lelei agrees that women are increasingly turning to men who will provide them with what they want in life and therefore they will not just take anyone.

“There are those who will target a man’s money, physique or the one who can give her good, handsome children,” says the communications officer.

Lelei, 29, however, cautions that choosing a spouse to fulfil certain needs is disastrous and has no future. “Yes, the man will accept but he will one day feel he isn’t in control and problems start cropping up,” she says.

Sharing this view is Abel Nyamamba who admits that men are being pushed to commit as more are increasingly becoming irresponsible. He says committing to one woman “these days” is a serious responsibility and calls for “sacrifice”.

“It is now evident that many people are not getting into relationships with the future in mind but to satisfy their current needs,” says Nyamamba, a micro biology analyst with a pharmaceutical firm in Thika.

Depending on who you talk to, it is clear that women will cause more shifts as they seek to enhance the roles they play in every aspect of life. With divided opinion, the question remains, did you choose your spouse or you were chosen?

 www.nation.co.ke

RB EXPECTED IN MALAWI

President Rupiah Banda

President Rupiah Banda is tomorrow morning expected in Blantyre in Malawi.

According to a tentative programme obtained from the Zambian High Commission to Malawi, President Banda is expected to arrive at Chileka International Airport at 08:20 hours and proceed to Nsanje district to witness the launch of the Nsanje World Inland Port on Shire river.

Mr. Banda will join his Zimbabwean counterpart Robert Mugabe, at the airport, who has also been invited to witness the commissioning of the port by the host President, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika.

Presidents Banda and Mugabe will be received at Chileka International airport by Malawi’s Minister for Tourism and Culture, Ken Lupenga, and will each be accorded with a full guard of honour.

Mr. Banda will later be taken to Mount Soche Hotel before flying to the port, some 180 kilometres south of Blantyre where he and Mr. Mugabe will be received by the Malawian President, Dr Wa Mutharika.

After commissioning the port, the three Presidents will attend a state reception at Nsanje Boma State Lodge and President Banda will return home soon after the function.

The Nsanje World Inland Water Port is on the foot of the railway which extends to the  Chipata/Mchinji railway line in Zambia which was commissioned by President Banda in August this year.

Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika also attended the commissioning of the Chipata/Mchinji railway line in Chipata, Zambia.

The Nsanje World Inland Water Port is part of the US $6 billion Shire/Zambezi Waterway Project and opens the Shire waterway from Malawi’s inland port of Nsanje to the Indian Ocean Port of Chinde in Mozambique, a distance of 238 kilometres.

The new port is expected to reduce costs of goods and services for landlocked countries like Zambia and Zimbabwe by at least 60 per cent, according to Nsanje District Commissioner, Rodney Simwaka.

ZANIS

KONGA EXPLAINS UNIFORN PRICING OF FUEL

Energy  Minister  Kenneth Konga

Energy  Minister  Kenneth Konga today  told  parliament that the implemented  uniform  pricing  of fuel is aimed at stimulating and raising  the standards of living in rural  areas.

Mr. Konga told the house that it is Government’s desire to see that rural areas have access to reliable and affordable petroleum products.

The Minister said in order to cater for differences in the cost of delivering fuel between urban and rural areas, the uniform pricing of fuel mechanism will spread additional costs of delivering fuel to rural areas among all fuel consumers.

Mr Konga told the house that consumers of petrol, diesel and kerosene closer to Indeni Oil Refinery in Ndola will pay slightly more than they did in the past so that rural consumers of petroleum products could reap from the benefits of uniform pricing.

He said that 80 percent of the fuel in Zambia is consumed by the urban area while 20 percent is used by people living in rural areas.

Mr Konga told the house in a Ministerial statement that the new National Energy Policy which was adopted by Government in 2008 to improve petroleum pricing in rural areas seeks to address high fuel prices in remote areas.

He said that lower fuel prices in these areas will spur more economic activities among rural farmers, mining companies and cottage industries that have been negatively affected by the high fuel prices because of their being far from the oil refinery.

Mr Konga said the implementation of uniform petroleum pricing was a long sought national aspiration because other stakeholders have also emphasized the need for the National Energy Policy to address the issue.

He said Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have been consulted on how to implement the uniform petroleum pricing to benefit the country.

He said this is the same principle that ZESCO has been using for the pricing of electricity for consumers at different locations from power generation stations.  

Mr Konga said high levels of poverty in rural areas prompted Government to implement the uniform petroleum pricing.

He further told the house that his ministry has appointed a Uniform Petroleum Price Manager who will be responsible for verification of claims from transporters to rural areas.

ZANIS

GOVT ENGAGES CHINESE GOVT ON COLLUM COAL MINE EMPLOYEE - LUNGU

Mkhondo Lungu

Government has engaged the Chinese Government through its embassy in Lusaka to pay the Zambian employees at the Chinese-run Collum Coal mine in Sinazongwe district, Southern province.

And Government has appealed to foreign investors to abide and respect the Zambian labour laws failure to which appropriate punishment will be meted on them.

Home Affairs Minister Mkhondo Lungu told parliament today that government is saddened by the Collum Coal mine shooting which occurred a few days ago where 11 mine workers and a passerby where shot at by two mine managers.

Delivering a ministerial statement in parliament today, Mr. Lungu disclosed that his ministry, in collaboration with ministries of Mines and Mineral Development and the Labour and Social Services has engaged the Chinese Government on discussions on the incident.

He said government is considering a ‘Fast-Track Court’ to deal with such matters in the near future.

Mr. Lungu further disclosed that the two managers at the Mine have since been sent to Choma Central Prison pending court proceedings.

The Minister however regretted that Police have arrested some workers who are alleged to have stolen property from management offices.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lungu has appealed to political players to stick to the electoral code of conduct and desist from engaging their cadres in violence ahead of the Chilanga and Mpulungu parliamentary by-elections.

The Minister said political party leaders and their supporters should at all times maintain peace.

ZANIS

ZAMBIA VEEP KUNDA ARRIVES IN CHINA

Vice-President George Kunda

Vice-President George Kunda  has arrived in the Chinese capital, Beijing where his official engagements start  before visiting the cities of Shanghai and Shenhen during his visit to the Asian country.

Mr Kunda is accompanied by his wife Ireen, Western Province Minister Richard Mwapela, Deputy Minister of livestock and fisheries Albert Mulonga and other senior government officials.

He was received at Beijing Capital International Airport by Zambia's Ambassador to China Joyce Musenge, some senior government officials from the Chinese government and a number of Zambians resident in Beijing.

The Vice-president starts his tight programme in Beijing tomorrow by meeting the President and top leaders of China Non ferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC), which has huge investments in Zambia's mining industry.

China Non ferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC) mining projects in Zambia include Chambishi copper Mine, Chambishi 150,000-ton copper smelter, Chambishi leach plant and Chambishi sulfuric acid plant.

The climax of Mr. Kunda's official engagements while in Beijing which is also the political and cultural centre of China will be his meetings with the Vice-President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping and State Councillor Dai Bingguo to discuss issues of common interest.

The vice-President will also tour the Great Wall of China before leaving Beijing on Saturday for the 2010 World Expo being held in the city of Shanghai.

Zambia is one of the 189 countries from around the world exhibiting at the 2010 Shanghai world Export whose theme is "Better City, Better life".

The Vice- President will officiate at the Zambia National Pavilion Day of the Shanghai world Expo.

He will also address a business forum organised by Zambia on the sidelines of the Expo to expose the various business opportunities available in the country.

In terms of  economic business benefits of participating at the shanghai Expo, the Zambian pavilion has in the last five months been attracting visitors as well as receiving a lot of enquiries in the area of tourism and investment.

It is envisaged that the information dissemination by Zambia at the Shanghai Expo will lead to tangible results in terms of attracting tourists and potential investors from China and other countries in the world.

ZANIS

CHINESE BOSSES 'MISTAKENLY' SHOT ZAMBIA PROTESTERS: BEIJING

China said Tuesday that two Chinese coal mine managers who were arrested in Zambia for allegedly shooting 12 local workers had hurt the Zambians "mistakenly".

The two Chinese nationals have been charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting randomly at the Zambian miners after they protested poor working conditions at their Chinese-run mine on Friday.

The incident has raised a political storm, with opposition leader Michael Sata accusing the Chinese in the country of being untouchable because they are funding the ruling party ahead of next year's elections.

However, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said the managers of the private company had "mistakenly hurt several local workers", while promising to cooperate with Zambia on the case.

"We will proceed from the overall interests of our friendly relations with Zambia, continue our close cooperation and properly handle the aftermath according to law," Ma said when asked for comment at a news briefing.

The injured workers at the Chinese-run Collum Coal Mine were hospitalised after the incident. The two Chinese suspects will appear in court soon, a Zambian government official told AFP.

Investment from China has been on the rise in Zambia, with several copper and coal mines bought by Chinese firms.

Africa has seen a wave of Chinese investment, despite criticism in the West that Beijing was blatantly ignoring human rights abuses, and environment and corruption issues in some countries as it lunges for the continent's resources.

China pumped 9.3 billion dollars into Africa by the end of 2009, a government report said last week, and Chinese officials have vowed the push would continue.

In particular, China has been criticised by the West over its support for regimes such as Sudan and Zimbabwe, which have been accused of human rights abuses, but many African leaders praise Beijing for not preaching to them on rights.

Ma said China's embassy in Lusaka had asked the Chinese-run company to "properly handle the dispute."

AFP

RTSA CALLS FOR CONCERTED EFFORTS TO CURB ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

RSTA highway patrol vehicle

Road Transport and Safety Agency (RATSA) Public Relations Officer Mukela Mangolwa has called for a strengthened partnership with stakeholders in curbing road traffic accidents in the country which are on the increase.

Mr Mangolwa said road traffic accidents are on the increase hence the need for concerted efforts from all stakeholders if the problem is to be redressed.

He said this in Solwezi yesterday in an interview with ZANIS during a community Road Show awareness campaign.

Mr. Mangolwa said RTSA has intensified awareness campaigns through road shows to sensitize road users on the importance of road safety in four provinces where there are reports of increased road traffic accidents namely Northwestern, Eastern, Copperbelt and Southern Province.

He said other initiatives in force are information road blocks and the launched seat belt campaign.

Mr. Mangolwa observed that 50 percent of motorists in Solwezi do not wear seat belts  when driving a situation he described as unfortunate and cautioned road users to be always wary of road safety rules.

Speaking earlier, RATSA Regional Manager Anthony Chewe said the province has recorded over 100 road traffic accidents since January this year.

Mr. Chewe said most road traffic accidents that happen in the province are caused by reckless driving, ignoring road signs and drunkenness.

He thanked Lumwana and Kansanshi mines for coming on board to help reduce road traffic accidents especially in Solwezi district by financing the putting up of road sign and humps.

ZANIS

BIZWAYO NKUNIKA SWORN IN AS ZAMBIA’S ENVOY TO RSA

President Banda

President Rupiah Banda has today sworn in newly appointed Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational training, Chriticles Mwansa.

The President also swore in new ambassador to South Africa, Lieutenant Colonel, Bizwayo Nkunika.

Mr. Banda said he had no doubt that the two will perform in their new portfolios.

President Banda told Mr. Mwansa to work hard because government was determined to implement a lot of projects that will change people’s lives for the better.

“I have no doubt that you are capable of running the Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training.” President Banda said.

Mr. Mwansa is former Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner General.

And President Banda has told Col. Nkunika to strengthen bilateral relations between Zambia and South Africa adding that the latter was an important country to Zambia.

He expressed optimism that Col. Nkunika will perform well in that country especially that it was not the first time for him to serve as Zambia’s envoy in that country.

Col. Nkunika takes over from Leslie Mbula who has since been recalled.

UN CALLS ON COUNTRIES TO PUT EMPHASIS ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

A Zambian youth pushing a wheelbarrow

The United Nations has called on countries in the world to put special emphasis on youth employment as the world commemorates the International Day for the eradication of Poverty.

In a message ahead of the commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty which is held today, 17^th October, 2010, the United Nations says young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults adding that a record high of 81 million young people were unemployed.

The message released by the UN information Centre in Lusaka states that one of the best ways for youths to see a future of hope is through the provision of decent jobs.

The statement adds that decent and productive work is one of the most effective ways to fight poverty and build self-sufficiency.
This year’s observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty focuses on decent work, meaningful employment, and income-generating livelihoods which all points to jobs.

More than half the world’s working population is in vulnerable employment as they lack formal work arrangements and social security, and often earn too little to provide for their families.

ZANIS

WHEN YOU ARE LEFT HOLDING THE BABY

What do you do when a man who has sworn undying love to and gone ahead and made you pregnant on the understanding that wedding bells are in the horizon suddenly takes off leaving you literally holding the baby?

By IRENE NJOROGE

This the one thing that women fear most. Unless you have decided that you are ready to bring up a child on your own, most women would hope that when their baby comes, there will be a father around, not to mention doting grandparents, aunties and uncles.

But these days, more often than not, that is not the case. Indeed for many men, the moment a woman reveals that she is expecting, he will immediately start looking for an exit route from the relationship.

We are told it takes two to tango but in such a case, it ends up being about one who is left to hassle – usually the lovelorn woman. Believing in romantic love is very exciting and more so when the man you love loves you right back..or seems to.

Imagine being 27 and in a good job, living away from home and even driving your own car. What is missing in this equation is a husband and a bundle of joy.

So when you intimate to your man that you’d like to settle down and have babies, he will most probably urge you to wait until you get married. But somehow, he never quite seems ready for that walk down the aisle.

Meanwhile, most women will think that since he’s mentioned marriage , they can go ahead and have the baby without further reference to the man. Many erroneously believe that the man will be thrilled to know that a baby is on the way.

Shock on you, when as soon as the baby arrives, your man starts to do the disappearing act. Suddenly, he is no longer as available as he used to be before the baby. Before long, you realize that you and your baby are no longer part of his equation.

He has quietly moved on and is now dating someone else. Unless you are a very disciplined woman, it is easy to end up as just another statistic of unwed motherhood.

Many starry eyed young women looking forward to a bright future find themselves in this situation. For the unwed young mother, this represents a complete change in her life. It suddenly dawns on her that all along, she was dealing with a man she never really knew.

As a man plans his exit from the relationship, he will suddenly become a cold, callous stranger. Sample some responses men give, in an attempt to run away from this newly discovered fatherhood: The most common –

“It cannot possibly be mine”
“Why didn’t you take precautions?”
“I am not yet ready for marriage”
“What are you going to do?”
“I want to marry a virgin”
“I am not interested in becoming a dad”
“I am too young and broke to take responsibility”
“It’s your problem”

Other men will simply disappear, into thin air, never to be seen or heard of again. However, the men fail to realise that in their later years, the memory of the child they once sired and abandoned will haunt them forever.

No man can completely run away from their blood forever. If it’s not your child who comes back to haunt you in later years, it will probably be your grandchildren. Many have tried denying their offspring, but nature ensures that they never forget.

Once you realise you are pregnant, do not panic. Take charge. Confide in a close friend or relative who will offer you the support you need at the time. Once the child is born, you will need to completely change your daily schedule as r time is no longer your own, as caring for a baby is a fulltime job away from your regular job.

The story of Maureen’s triumph as a single mother is repeated among very many women in circumstances similar to hers. She is now 32 with an eleven-year-old son. The father of her child, who went abroad without ever having seen the boy, left her unceremoniously.

She made up her mind to succeed despite the challenges she was going through. Luckily for her, she had a very supportive mother who saw to it that her child received good care as Maureen put her life back on course.

With her diligence, she now heads a leading private school and earns a six figure salary. She is able to cater for her son and plan her financial future. She is also engaged to a fellow educator. They plan to start their own school in the near future.

The father of her child recently returned from the US, after spending a decade there. He had had children with six women whom he promptly abandoned. He later entered into a sham green card marriage to gain permanent papers to live in the US.

After getting the papers, he tried to abandon his American wife (she had no idea it was a sham marriage) and child, but she got wind of it before he could effect the plan.

She reported him to the authorities and he was deported. He landed at JKIA with nothing more than a duffle bag and a few hundred dollars was all he had to show for all the time he was in the US.

Back in Kenya, he decided to look up his old friends. He had heard that Maureen was now doing quite well for herself and that his son was thriving and excelling. He paid her a visit and had the audacity to suggest marriage to Maureen.

Being a well brought up lady, she simply smiled and stated: “I am very flattered to have you propose to me, however, I am not quite interested.”

Scoffed

When he realised that she had long moved on, he demanded custody for his son which of course she was never going to agree to after all the boy did not even know him. Maureen is now married, they have a daughter, and together with the son she had out of wedlock, they are all very happy together.

In retrospect, Maureen wonders: “When I got pregnant, I thought life was going to be a fairytale and that he would take care of the baby and me forever. But when I told him I was expectant, he scoffed at me, and walked out of my life without a second glance.

This illustration shows that not every case ends up badly for women. While giving birth as a single parent has its challenges for many young mothers, a number of different pathways are open to them by which they can reduce the negative consequences.

Acceptance of one’s situation and having the resolve to move on and make a better life for yourself and your child is the best path to take after all, it’s how you bring up your child that matters.

For your child to have a father figure, look for a close relative or friend who can give that male perspective to life and should the biological father pitch up, don’t deny the child a chance to know his father.
www.nation.co.ke